Daisy's Decision (Icehome Book 16) by Dixon Ruby

Author:Dixon, Ruby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ruby Dixon
Published: 2022-06-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

DAISY

O’jek disappears from the hole for so long that I worry something has happened to him. When he returns again, I’m so relieved that I start crying once more.

“Do not cry, my heart,” he tells me as he works on the rope. “I am making a ladder and then I will be at your side shortly. Be patient. Be brave.”

“Just don’t leave me!”

“Never. I will never leave your side,” he promises.

It seems to take forever, my arm (and my head) throbbing painfully with every breath. When the rope starts to snake down from above with loops tied throughout for handholds, I start crying again. And when O’jek reaches the bottom and cups my face, pressing frantic kisses to it, I cry even harder.

“My mate, my mate,” he breathes over and over again. “I could not find you. I did not know where you had gone. My heart felt as if it had stopped in my chest.”

“I’ve been here,” I blubber, weeping. “The floor broke and I fell down.”

“I am here.” O’jek showers me with kisses again. “Show me your arm.”

I show him—or I try to. I can’t really move it, and he brushes his fingers over it, which causes me to cry out. “Your arm joint has left the socket,” he tells me. “I do not know the human words for it.” He maneuvers his arm, showing me. “We have to push it back in.” He pauses and then adds, “It will hurt.”

“I figured.” I close my eyes and nod at him. “Go ahead.”

Before I can even brace myself, he grabs my arm and thrusts it back, hard. Hot pain sheets through me and then almost immediately disappears. I don’t know if I should black out or sob in relief. Probably both. Then he’s kissing me again and telling me how brave I am, and I just lean against him, miserable and ready for this ordeal to be over.

With murmurs of encouragement, O’jek gets me to my feet and wraps the end of the rope around my waist, and then his, tying us together. I have to hold onto him with my good arm, but he locks his tail and one arm around me, and then we slowly, slowly make our way up the rope. When I’m finally back on the main level again, I flop onto my back and take in deep, shuddering, relieved breaths.

O’jek immediately picks me up and carries me into the water. From there, he gently washes my face and the wound on my head, peering at my eyes. “This is a deep cut and still bleeds,” he tells me. “You must have hit rock on the way down. I will need to sew it.”

Stupidly, I think of my appearance. I touch the cut—just at my hairline—and try not to cry. “Is it going to be ugly?”

“Never.” O’jek scowls as if the thought offends him.

“I’m just…I’m already…” I gesture weakly at my burned cheek and hands.

“You are perfect,” he tells me, tipping my chin with a finger so I look at him.

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