PURPOSE | The Mandalorian

XXIV

"Jeyna."

I groaned at the sound of my name. It sounded warbled and twisted, almost like someone was shouting at me through a pool of water.

"Wake up."

I reluctantly peeled my eyes open. "Am I dead?" I asked weakly, but the pain still searing through my leg told me otherwise.

A feline laugh bounced around my head. "No."

Then a lovely face swam in my vision, unhindered by my helmet. It was a woman's face, one that was dark and warm, with delicate bones and piercing yellow eyes. I recognized her instantly.

I hissed as I attempted to sit up, but the pain in my leg was too much. I immediately laid back down on the sand again as Soleil placed two delicate hands near my wound. I sucked in a breath, preparing to hiss in pain at her touch, but her hands were cool and soothing against my skin.

"How did you..." I began, my voice trailing off in exhaustion as a soothing sensation slowly spread it's way through my leg.

"I didn't foresee the bounty hunter betraying you," She admitted through clenched teeth. "I am sorry. I raced here as fast as I could."

As I slowly got my bearings back, my fears for Din and the child settled in. "But what about—"

"Din and the child are fine," She reassured me with a small smile. "But not for long." She looked down from my face to the mangled mess of skin that used to be a blaster wound.

Soleil said quietly, "I have healed your wound enough to reset the bone and stop the bleeding, but it's too complicated for me to heal in such a short amount of time."

I exhaled my gratitude, masking the still excruciating pain in my leg.

"Your femur is still broken, and the skin covering your wound is thin," She reminded calmly. "You shouldn't walk until you start to heal on your own."

"How long will that take?" I moaned, swallowing the thick lump in my throat.

Soleil shrugged as she stood. "A few weeks, at least," She said.

I propped myself up on my elbows, my head spinning with the effort. "I don't—" I started, but she raised a small hand to cut me off.

"I know it's not an ideal situation," She admitted, "But you must heal."

All of a sudden, her head snapped away from me, glaring off into the desert. "The child," She whispered under her breath. She turned back to look at me, her eyes wide and frantic. "I must go. Toro is after the child."

"Then go!" I snapped, "Don't let him take the kid!"

Soleil nodded curtly, mounting a speeder nearby that I didn't notice was there until now. "I won't," She assured me. "Don't move. Din will be back for you soon."

And then she was gone, speeding off on her speeder like smoke in the wind.

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"Jeyna?"

My name was modulated now. I slowly peeled my eyes open again, squinting against the rising suns as Din leaped off the large dewback and sprinted straight for me.

He skidded to a stop, kneeling beside me as he took in how much of my blood soaked the sand. His movements were uncharacteristically frantic, his hands hovering over my body like he didn't know exactly where to put them.

"What happened?" He whispered, his modulator crackling.

"Toro," I groaned, "He killed Shand and went after the kid. He thinks..."