hear me, little one … N-Nova. Y-your name is Nova. I remember!”
To his utter relief, Nova finally came to her senses, pushed herself halfway up, and shook her head. She put one hand to the back of her neck and scooped up Una with the other.
Marcos sighed in relief. “Please forgive me, I beg you. I-I’ve never struck a woman in my life.”
She shook her head once more and moved toward him. “Don’t move. You mustn’t get this red earth into your wounds, or they could get infected. Just lie still.” She sat next to him, gently pulled the clean sheet back up to his shoulders, and carefully pushed him back down on his pallet.
“I’m so sorry,” Marcos repeated. “Are you all right?”
She tilted her head and stared for a moment. “I was just a bit stunned. You’re the one who’s hurt. Don’t worry about me. I know you didn’t mean it.”
Marcos coughed hard as the chemical in his lungs blocked his airway.
Nova helped him turn onto his stomach just as fluid drained from his mouth and onto the cave floor. “Here, use this.”
He turned his head toward the soft cloth she held, and tried to stem his gut-wrenching coughs, but couldn’t. He violently vomited residue of the plasma chemical he’d breathed in. Every nerve in his body felt as if it was open and torn. His lungs felt as though they’d never draw air again. But after some minutes, he finally gasped inward, and the coughing diminished.
All the while, Nova kept holding fresh cloths for him to vomit into. The residue from his throat smelled horrible and looked toxic. She must have thought it was since she threw the cloths into the fire so they’d burn. As she did so, each vomit-filled bit of fabric flared when the flames touched them. When the worst of his retching was over, she helped him lie in a propped-up position that made it easier to breathe.
He began to shiver violently. She put a blanket over his shoulders. He yelped and tried to shake it off, but she put the covering back.
“You’re going into shock from the cold water I had to put on your body. It was the only way to get the remaining plasma off and stop the burning. I know you don’t like the blanket, but you have to stay warm,” she softly explained.
He eventually lay on his left side and gazed up at her. For the time being, he could do nothing more than shiver. Another wave of coughing began and his lungs felt as if they’d burn away. But his little savior stayed with him, right by his side.
He focused on the dulcet sound of her voice.
Occasionally, she’d rearrange the blanket around his scorched body and offer him another dry cloth to hold against his face.
Through hours of pain, torment, and anguish, he clung to the sound of her repeated words of comfort. The Creator must have sent her to him. Who else would have come to his aid and cared for him so diligently if not a messenger from the Divine One?
When he finally lay before her in an exhausted heap, she stretched out beside him and spoke quietly.
“You’ll get through this. I did, and so will you. I promise.” She smiled at him. “Just rest now. I won’t leave you alone.”
Because he was in so much agony, she was the rock to which he clung. Nothing existed but her.
Marcos finally closed his eyes and slept. The nightmare didn’t return. But only because of her. Even when his dreams threatened to turn dark again, her calm presence anchored him. And he felt hope. There was a chance he could survive. If she cared enough to risk her life helping him then he
must
try.
• • •
Hours or maybe days later, he opened his eyes and felt a cool cloth being applied to the open wounds of his body. He was on his stomach and tried to rise, but she gently pushed him down. The pain was still severe, but not nearly as bad as it had been.
“I’ve made some vegetable broth, so you should try to eat. You coughed a little in your sleep, but I think the worst of that crap is out of your lungs. Do you feel like
To his utter relief, Nova finally came to her senses, pushed herself halfway up, and shook her head. She put one hand to the back of her neck and scooped up Una with the other.
Marcos sighed in relief. “Please forgive me, I beg you. I-I’ve never struck a woman in my life.”
She shook her head once more and moved toward him. “Don’t move. You mustn’t get this red earth into your wounds, or they could get infected. Just lie still.” She sat next to him, gently pulled the clean sheet back up to his shoulders, and carefully pushed him back down on his pallet.
“I’m so sorry,” Marcos repeated. “Are you all right?”
She tilted her head and stared for a moment. “I was just a bit stunned. You’re the one who’s hurt. Don’t worry about me. I know you didn’t mean it.”
Marcos coughed hard as the chemical in his lungs blocked his airway.
Nova helped him turn onto his stomach just as fluid drained from his mouth and onto the cave floor. “Here, use this.”
He turned his head toward the soft cloth she held, and tried to stem his gut-wrenching coughs, but couldn’t. He violently vomited residue of the plasma chemical he’d breathed in. Every nerve in his body felt as if it was open and torn. His lungs felt as though they’d never draw air again. But after some minutes, he finally gasped inward, and the coughing diminished.
All the while, Nova kept holding fresh cloths for him to vomit into. The residue from his throat smelled horrible and looked toxic. She must have thought it was since she threw the cloths into the fire so they’d burn. As she did so, each vomit-filled bit of fabric flared when the flames touched them. When the worst of his retching was over, she helped him lie in a propped-up position that made it easier to breathe.
He began to shiver violently. She put a blanket over his shoulders. He yelped and tried to shake it off, but she put the covering back.
“You’re going into shock from the cold water I had to put on your body. It was the only way to get the remaining plasma off and stop the burning. I know you don’t like the blanket, but you have to stay warm,” she softly explained.
He eventually lay on his left side and gazed up at her. For the time being, he could do nothing more than shiver. Another wave of coughing began and his lungs felt as if they’d burn away. But his little savior stayed with him, right by his side.
He focused on the dulcet sound of her voice.
Occasionally, she’d rearrange the blanket around his scorched body and offer him another dry cloth to hold against his face.
Through hours of pain, torment, and anguish, he clung to the sound of her repeated words of comfort. The Creator must have sent her to him. Who else would have come to his aid and cared for him so diligently if not a messenger from the Divine One?
When he finally lay before her in an exhausted heap, she stretched out beside him and spoke quietly.
“You’ll get through this. I did, and so will you. I promise.” She smiled at him. “Just rest now. I won’t leave you alone.”
Because he was in so much agony, she was the rock to which he clung. Nothing existed but her.
Marcos finally closed his eyes and slept. The nightmare didn’t return. But only because of her. Even when his dreams threatened to turn dark again, her calm presence anchored him. And he felt hope. There was a chance he could survive. If she cared enough to risk her life helping him then he
must
try.
• • •
Hours or maybe days later, he opened his eyes and felt a cool cloth being applied to the open wounds of his body. He was on his stomach and tried to rise, but she gently pushed him down. The pain was still severe, but not nearly as bad as it had been.
“I’ve made some vegetable broth, so you should try to eat. You coughed a little in your sleep, but I think the worst of that crap is out of your lungs. Do you feel like
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