Free Web NovelChapter 321: Chapter 321
Nieah’s breath hitched at the sound of her name on his lips.
"I am here," she replied softly, steadying her voice even as she felt her heart lurch. Her thumb brushed his cheek again, trailing her fingers down to the side of his neck to feel his thumping pulse. It was still so strong.
"You did well by coming back here. You held on. But I need you to stay with me a little longer, Casilo. Can you do that for me?" fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
His lashes fluttered, his focus already slipping.
"That’s it," she murmured, calm and unwavering. "Just listen to my voice."
She straightened abruptly, the tenderness giving way to sharp urgency. Turning to the two guards who had remained behind, she fixed her gaze on one of them.
"You," she said, already moving. "Heat one of your swords in the hearth. As hot as it will go. We must cauterize the wound or he will bleed out before the physician arrives."
The guard did not hesitate. He pivoted and rushed to the freshly lit hearth, shoving the blade deep into the flames.
Nieah’s jaw tightened. Seeing the way Casilo’s body trembled, the shallow drag of his breaths, it ignited a fierce, almost painful resolve in her chest.
"I’ll be back in a bit," she said, more to herself than anyone else. Before Circe or the guards could respond, she spun on her heel and fled the room.
She ran. Her skirts were a hindrance she barely noticed as she tore down the nearly empty corridor, lungs burning. She burst into her room and crossed it in a heartbeat, yanking her leather satchel from its hiding place and clutching it tightly to her chest.
From her nightstand, she grabbed a cup of water without breaking stride. Her heart thundered as she hurried out of the room, not from exertion, but from fear. Raw, all-consuming fear. Not just for any man, her mind whispered as she ran. Casilo.
She would not let him die. She couldn’t let that happen. She had to help.
Rounding the corner, she nearly collided with two maids heading toward the kitchens. She skidded to a stop and called out sharply, panic plain on her face. "You—both of you!"
They froze instantly at her tone.
"I need clean rags and towels," Nieah said, breathless. "Bowls of warm water. And vinegar. Hurry!"
The maids nodded fervently and took off at once.
Nieah did not wait to watch them go. She turned and ran again.
When she burst back into Casilo’s chamber, she did not pause. The room reeked of blood, and the steel by the hearth was already glowing a dangerous red.
She went straight to the bed. From her satchel, she withdrew a small, tightly sealed jar of laudanum wrapped in cloth. Her fingers shook only once before she steadied them. She opened it, tipped a careful amount into the cup, diluting it just enough.
"Casilo," she whispered, leaning close again. "I need you to drink this. It will help with the pain."
His lips parted faintly. She supported his head, easing the mixture into his mouth in small amounts, speaking to him all the while. The soft words and the steady reassurances, all of them were constant threads meant to keep him tethered to the present.
"That’s it... swallow. You’re doing well."
She set the cup aside and turned sharply to the guard at the hearth. The sword glowed hotter now.
Her stomach twisted.
The laudanum was beginning to take effect, she could see that much in the slight slackening of his features but it was not acting fast enough. Not nearly enough and with how dire the situation was, they barely had any more time to waste.
"Knife," she demanded of the second guard.
He produced one immediately, placing it in her outstretched hand without question.
Nieah cut away the blood-soaked fabric covering Casilo’s torso, peeling it back to expose the wound at his side. The sight of it made her breath catch for the second time, yet she forced herself to keep looking, even though every instinct urged her to turn away.
Just then, the maids rushed in with the items she had asked for.
"Here," one said, already setting them down.
Nieah seized a towel, soaked it in vinegar, and began cleaning the wound with swift, efficient movements. Casilo stirred, a low sound tearing from his throat, but he did not fully wake.
"It’s clean," she murmured, relief threading through her tension. "No infection."
She straightened and turned back to the guard at the hearth. "Give me the sword."
He hesitated only a fraction of a second before obeying.
Nieah took the sword in her hand, its heat searing even through the pommel. She swallowed hard and looked to the guards.
"Turn him slightly," she said. "And hold him down."
They moved at once, bracing Casilo’s shoulders and legs.
Nieah leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper meant only for him. "This is going to hurt. I’m sorry," she breathed.
Then she pressed the red-hot steel to his wound.
Casilo screamed.
The sound ripped through the room, raw and agonized, his body arching violently as the guards struggled to hold him still. Flesh sizzled beneath the sword, the sharp, acrid smell filling the air.
Nieah’s vision blurred. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, tears burning her eyes but she did not pull away.
This is to save him. This is to keep him alive.
She held it there until the bleeding stopped, until his scream broke into hoarse, pained groans and then into nothing but ragged breaths.
At last, she pulled the sword away.
Casilo’s body trembled uncontrollably, sweat slicking his skin, his face pale as he drifted in and out of consciousness. The sight of him like that triggered a memory from her past, one so painful it nearly made her knees buckle. A memory of her husband laying limp on their bed, fighting to keep his eyes open, fighting to stay alive. Only for him to die hours later.
Nieah set the blade aside with shaking hands. She did the important part which was stopping the bleeding, and his body’s quick healing will hopefully do the rest.
