At dawn, Zargis put Jose on my back after I let my dragon out. While she was weak and sick, she still clung to me, holding onto whatever she could. Once Thelia was with Zargis, we flew home.
When we arrived late that night, I rushed Jose to the infirmary where Verah began to assess her. She looked at after a long time, eyes sad. "It's the same."
I cursed and brought out a knife, slicing my wrist open and holding it to Jose's mouth. She whimpered, but took it, swallowing as if she hadn't had anything in days.
When I pulled back, there was no time for the blood to enter her system. Immediately, she screamed.
This time, it took three days for Jose to stop screaming, three days of fighting her to not claw out her insides. When it was over, she was cold, almost lifeless. I was exhausted, however I didn't want to sleep. She was taken from me, hurt, had to be strong only to fail in her escape, then poisoned. I couldn't stop staring at her tear stained face, her frail body that had grown thinner and weaker since I last saw her. She had bruises along her body, and I thought her nose was broken. Verah confirmed that Jose had several bones broken, but hadn't wanted to cause more pain than was necessary until she woke, if she woke.
However, none of that was as bad as what I found when I took her to a hot bath a week after getting home. Between her legs, there was blood. "Verah!" I called, leaving Jose on the floor, but covered her up.
"Kesar?"
"Will you take over? I really need to go hit something."
Verah went to Jose and knelt beside her. She looked at me, worried. "Of course."
I swallowed. "Just…" I swallowed again, feeling myself losing control. "Just promise me you'll check her for internal damage?" Her brows furrowed. "You know?" I shut my eyes. Felt my throat constrict. "Down below?"
"Of course," she promised, much quieter than before.
I nod, then race out of the infirmary. I meet Zargis near the castle entrance, his own eyes angry, but they softened when he saw me. "What's wrong? Why aren't you with her?"
I put a hand to my mouth, shook my head, and ran past, out the castle.
I was not running from her. No, I was running because if I did not gain control of not only my dragon, but my emotions, I was going to hurt someone. So, I flew. For hours I flew. Otreg even came and we sparred. It didn't help. Nothing helped. My dragon was in a rage that could not be cooled. It wanted-no- needed blood to avenge the wrong don't to Jose. But I hadn't seen Gideon. There was no sign of him, and I couldn't go look.
"Kesar!
I growled and looked to where Thelia stood on the edge of Korgenyegia, waiting for me. I flew over and landed. When she came close, I growled a warning.
She put her hands up and said, "She needs you, now more than ever."
I roared, fury making fire like the clouds above.
"She was not the only one!" Thelia shouted when I finished. I looked at her. Tears were in her eyes. "He did it to me, when I was a child."
I turned into a man. "Why?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. It's how he felt powerful. Especially over those who thwarted him."
This made me shake, my dragon wanting to come out again.
"I killed him!" I blinked and looked at her. "Did you go see the slave girl and her master?"
"They were not master and slave," I snarl.
She smiled. "No. But now let me ask you. Did you see a house with a huge burn outside?"
I nod.
"That was him." My dragon calmed somewhat. Thelia nodded. "I found him on top of her and threw a knife in his back. Then, I dragged him out and lit him up."
"Did she feel it?" I ask hoarsely.
"No. She was too sick to feel anything by that point." Thelia took a step forward, but I shook my head. She stopped. "But, if it weren't for her, all of us would be dead, including me."
"Tell me!" I choked.
"She helped me do things, talking to me. She fed me when I wouldn't do it. She helped the dragons." Thelia paused, gulped. "She woke me up. She woke me up in time to help her."
"You were lost to the past?"
"Yes."
"Jose left pictures," I said, calming down even more. "She guided us to you."
"I know."
I close my eyes and breathe. "She was said to be sick on the head by the guards."
Thelia smiled. "I'm sure you thought something was wrong with her when she didn't speak at first."
I shook my head again. "I knew!"
"Did Einnig?"
"No."
"Jose used her silence to her advantage, making them believe she was no threat."
"Instead, she listened and learned. Planned to help everyone," I said. I look towards the castle. "She's my mate," I say. "I was supposed to tell her the day after you were taken. We were supposed to play all day and dance and laugh."
Thelia walked up to me, resting a hand on my arm. I let her, focused on where my mate was. "You still can."
"What if she doesn't wake?"
"She will."
We talked a little more, then Thelia walked with me back to the infirmary. It was chaos there, as Jose was not letting anyone touch her. But I went up to her and wrapped arms around her, lips on her temple. "I'm here," I whispered. She whimpered, but settled down. "Sleep, Jose. I am here."