While Cierra worked on channeling her magic into the machine to start it, I helped Donnie sit, using several pillowsto keep him propped up. Donnie held the mask over his nose and mouth with trembling fingers.
Cierra sat next to him, holding the mask for him when he closed his eyes. His hand sought mine, and I clasped onto it while I moved to sit beside him.
“Every fifth breath, try to take a deep inhale and hold it for two to three seconds,” Cierra said, her tone firm.
He did as she said, and slowly, painstakingly slowly, his breathing improved. His wheezing decreased while his chest began to rise and fall at a slower tempo.
When I rested my head on his shoulder, he placed his head atop mine. The stubble of the beard that’d started to grow overnight scratched my forehead.
How I’d missed this. How many times after Mom had died had we sat like this, him offering his quiet support? Before that, he’d done the same after a bad day or breakup or whatever other drama had splintered my heart.
None of those heartbreaks had prepared me for the possibility of losing him so suddenly.
Donnie straightened when Cierra removed his mask and turned the machine off, uttering a whispered, “Thank you,” before he rested his head back over mine. Cierra stood by the foot of the bed, her worried gaze on Donnie while she fidgeted with the tote bag’s straps.
“I didn’t think to look for nebulizer treatment,” I told her.
In fact, I’d become so dependent on magic I hadn’t thought to search for any medication back in my home realm. It was something we needed to consider if magic continued to work so erratically.
She dug through the tote bag and pulled out a small, rectangular box that she put on the small table at Donnie’s bedside. “I brought back a rescue inhaler and some steroids—both pills and injection. Oh, and the pamphlets I found that explain lung illnesses and treatments.”
“I appreciate it.” Donnie’s voice came out hoarse, and he coughed to clear it.
“I’ll just leave it here.” Cierra turned to the door just as Elias entered, holding a hot mug of tea I recognized as the medicinal herb we often used.
“This’ll help with the way your heart’s racing,” Elias said, looking at the mug he held rather than at Donnie.
I sat up when Elias handed me the mug.
“The pamphlets said the medication could cause increased heart rate and trembling. Although it may be normal, I’m sure you’d feel better if it ceased.” Cierra let out a nervous laugh as she rubbed her left shoulder.
Donnie shifted, taking the mug from me. When his hands shook around the mug, Cierra sat beside him again. She guided the mug to his mouth, and the way he watched her was adorable.
I stood, nudging Elias’s foot with mine while I grinned at one of my oldest friends. Not that Donnie noticed.
“We should head out,” I said, taking Elias’s hand in mine.
“Evander would like to speak to you again about your prisoners,” Cierra said, helping Donnie lower the mug.
“I’m headed to our home now to hold an informal council on what to do with them.” Elias pulled his hair into a neat bun. “It won’t be with our new council, but I’d like to get ideas of what those I trust are thinking. Evander’s welcome to come if he’d like.”
“Are you going to kill them?” Donnie asked.
“Before I met you, my answer would’ve been yes,” Elias said, staring at his boots. “I don’t know anymore, Donnie.” He lifted his face but still didn’t meet Donnie’s gaze while histhroat bobbed. “They killed children. They killed a lot of good people.”
Donnie nodded, moving his hand to cover the top of the steaming mug. “They killed innocent children and civilians. They killed the woman who raised me.” His voice came out raspy.
My chest twisted painfully at the loss of Grandma Richter. She hadn’t simply been my best friends’ grandma, but mine too. She’d stepped in when Mom had been busy with work, taking an even greater role in our lives when Mom had fallen ill. She’d kept me together, understanding why I couldn’t move from my cabin into her home after Mom had died.
Losing Grandma Richter still didn’t feel real, and a part of me expected her to walk into Bon’s hut to fuss over Donnie. Since she never did, would never be able to, it was Ryenne who’d prayed over her brother, stumbling over the same words Grandma Richter would’ve said with confidence.
Hearing her prayer brought me a sense of calm I hadn’t felt since before twenty-two people had tried to attack my home.
“They went after Teddy in your own home,” Donnie continued, and I couldn’t fight the way my body tensed at the reminder. “They abducted your people; they’ve kept them captive in horrible conditions and have killed far too many of them.”
And several of those they hadn’t killed in the compounds had died in the explosion at the castle. George’s seer magic had seen the second explosion minutes before it’d happened, and while he’d been able to evacuate many, including Etienne, Leah, and other healers, those who’d been too injured to movehad died at their hands while others still remained trapped beneath the rubble.
When Brenton had searched for Queen Renee’s and Grandma Richter’s bodies, he’d also found the dead bodies of Gracie and her boys clinging to Sebastian. While I hadn’t seen them, I couldn’t shake the terror they must’ve felt.
