Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 103: The Lusitaneana Flower

Erinne sank into the chair Khash urged her to and then he pressed a piece of cloth to her skin, just under her collarbone. It was a small knick, really, dire wolves had nipped her worse than this, but she already felt the flame of the curse within her blood. It was like hot embers spreading beneath her skin, getting ready to burn.

"I'm sorry..." something dropped from his face, small and it left a damp stain on the collar of her dress and she looked up at him. Tears were filling his eyes, and he gave into them, sinking to the floor. His forehead leaned against her thigh and a deep sob filled him. "I should have killed him long ago."

"You wanted to save your friend."

"At what cost, Erinne?" He lifted his gaze to hers. "It was supposed to be me. If anyone got bitten, it was supposed to be me, not you." Another sob left his lips. Her heart ached. He'd spent so many years of his life watching Wren, protecting him, and protecting others from him, but this wasn't the time for him to lose all hope.

"Stop it." She grabbed his shoulder and gave him a rough shake. Khash's eyes snapped open wide and he stared up at her. "I know this is hard for you, you've been working valiantly, but the world isn't lost. Get up. You may have finally found a way to get answers. We don't have any time to waste." He swallowed, the sobs fading, though the tears still fell. "Now how long does it take for the first...first...transformation?"

"Hours. Maybe." He rose on shaky legs, wiping the tears away but they were quickly replaced by new ones. "It starts like a fever. You'll start to feel body aches anytime now, your temperature will rise. Wren said that his hands, toes, and teeth hurt the worst at the start." He grabbed some more clean linen and pressed it to her chest, sniffling. "It'll get hard to speak, you won't be able to understand our words much. Things will feel...muddled."

"My Lord Khash, he's not waking." They both turned their attention to Farswar. He was still at Wren's side, his body sprawled out on the floor.

"I'm fine," Erinne assured him and Khash released her and hurried towards Wren. He was quiet as he examined him. Her chest throbbed strangely where the small knick was and she glanced down at it, lifting the linens. It was barely bleeding now. How could she ever face her family now? Was it safe for her to be with them? She stared towards Wren and Khash. If there was no cure in that book, could she justify making Cold Hammer be her Khash? She saw the damage this curse did to Wren's closest friend, she saw how much he strained and struggled. It was a weight on his shoulders and she never wanted to be a weight dragging Cold Hammer down.

Nausea swept through her and before she could truly grasp that it was coming, she doubled over and vomited across the floor. Her stomach heaved, a sour taste washed out her throat and she stared with bewilderment at the pool of blood she spewed.

"Khash?" She could barely speak as another wave hit her and she heaved again, clutching her stomach and chest. She cried out with the one, lonely breath she took before another round hit her and she fell to her knees, hands in the blood. It was hot under her hands, hotter in her throat. "It's burning!" She gasped as Khash reached her, setting a hand on her shoulder.

"Erinne?"

There was an urgency to his voice that she didn't expect and tears filled her eyes, "What's wrong?!"

"This isn't supposed to happen,"

"What?!" Another storm of blood and fire erupted from her. It felt as though it scorched her from the inside and she screamed as it burned her mouth and throat and hands. She bowed her head, she wanted to collapse to the floor. There was a strange buzzing in her ears and Khash's voice faded out.

She heard something else. A strange howling, calling out to her. It was the only thing she could hear. She felt it try to wrap around her, try to cover her, and then she vomited again and felt it leave. She nearly collapsed but Khash grabbed her around her waist and lifted her, moving her back into the chair.