Gam is gone.
Chapter Fourteen
“Steadyyourself,human,orwill worsen your injuries.”
The commanding voice precedes the tall body walking into the room. My brow falls as the King enters. He’s dressed casually instead of for war as the last time I saw him. Despite his easy appearance, my insides still quiver. I’m not sure I’ll ever fully get used to how different the Talarions are from me. The shock wears off in a blink and I swing my legs shakily over the side of the bed.
“Where is Gam?”
He lifts one thick brow. “Gam? That is interesting.”
“Is he… is he?”
“He lives,” the King says kindly. “I have come from his room. He is asking for you.”
Gripping the edge of the mattress with one hand, I cover my mouth with the other and ride out a wave of emotion.
“They saved him. The other Talarions. They put their hair on him.” I motion to my head with my hands, knowing how incredible it sounds.
“I know. They shared their energy with their priest to revive him. It was marginally successful. His recovery will be long, but he will recover.”
Feeling a little steadier, I stand and run my hands over the tunic. My head takes on a pulse of its own and a wave of dizziness goes through me. The King rushes to my side and slips an arm around my shoulders. Going tense for a second, I suddenly remember.
“Your daughter?”
“Is doing well, thanks to the support of her priest. Come.”
Every injury I sustained in the fight last night makes itself known as we traverse the hallway. My head throbs and the claw marks down my back burn. Various bruises ache. Funny how I didn’t feel many aches and pains when I was Assassin Krunch, but now that I’m plain old Fern again, everything hurts.
He takes me inside a dimly lit room. Gam lies on a glowing blue bed with a series of wires connected to his body, like how the men’s hair had been. I try to break away from the King, but fresh dizziness stops me. He guides me to a soft chair which is pulled close to the bed.
“Our doctors know nothing of human medicine. But their scans revealed your brain requires rest to heal. Your wounds have been tended and your flesh will heal. A bed will be brought in so you may lie next to your mate while you both heal.”
I do a double take. My mate?
“Um… we haven’t decided on… we’re not… ”
You are my hearts, Fern.
We are fated.
Looking at my hands, I clear my throat. “That sound nice. Thank you.”
“Take good care, human. I will see you again.”
His hand slips slowly away from the back of my chair as he turns and leaves.
Scooping Gam’s hand between mine, I lean over the side of his bed the best I can around the wires. I have no idea what they’re doing to him. Someday I’ll ask, but for now, I don’t care as long as it makes him better. His handsome face is relaxed and peaceful and it makes me feel better. He wouldn’t look so calm if he were in pain, would he?
“Gam, I’m here.”
The corners of his lips move. My heart jumps.
“I know.”
He doesn’t open his eyes, but it’s okay. Just the sound of his voice is enough. He squeezes my hand. “Why didn’t you go home?”
I watch the back-and-forth motion of my thumb as I rub it over his hand. I saw Arial in the portal, and it made me want to get in with her, to return to Earth. Go back to our boring jobs, the book club, the LARP group. My house would still be empty when I got there. My mother would still be gone.
