Breaking through the heavy brush, I came to a hard stop where Niz had originally lain. The image of his pale skin painted in dark blood and shadows flashed before my eyes, but I forced myself to focus on Ronan.
The Beast Tamer kneeled on the ground, with the tips of his fingers in the pool of dark blood left by our wyvern and a dazed expression covering his face. His hazel eyes were oscillating with so many different emotions—the strongest seeming to be confusion. A strong wave of sympathy for Ronan came over me, and I was only able to imagine the shock that Niz’s secret had caused him.
However, I also knew that it was essential we get back to Niz—Ronan’s current shock be damned.
Kneeling in front of him, I met his gaze as his lips parted again, only to produce silence. Almost as if confused by his own inability to talk, he ran a hand through his short, blond hair, staining it with the dark blood. As if catching himself, he stopped mid action, hand falling to his side with a heavy sigh.
“Ronan.” My voice was hard but infused with compassion, or at least I hoped it came off that way. I reached forward to grab his hand as his gaze searched mine. It was then I realized there was only one way to handle this, and I hoped like hell it was the right way.
“I cannot imagine what you’re going through right now—” I began, squeezing his hand in comfort. “How much you’re feeling about all of this. I can’t begin to understand the bond between the two of you and what it feels like to realize he’s been hiding an entire side of himself from you.
“But what Idounderstand is the fear of losing him—a fear that I know you have. That webothhave. Niz is—” My voice caught as I forced the reality of the situation out into the open. I wetted my lips, trying to find a way of phrasing it that wasn’t harsh. There was none, so I forced myself to continue, “He’sreally hurt, Ronan. He may die. The one thing he asked was that you be by his side. He needs you there.He needs you.”
Considering his silence and the way he stared at me, I wondered if he had heard me at all—but then Ronan suddenly straightened to his full height. He nodded sharply, offering a hand to pull me to my feet. Taking the offered hand, he propelled us from the brush and in the direction of the medical center without another word.
That he had heard me and understood the gravity of the situation so quickly stunned me into silence. Ronan was a deeply emotional person, which I found endearing in the way he wore his heart on his sleeve, but it typically led to a little less logic being used in emotionally charged moments. I assumed he would be blinded,consumed,by the thoughts plaguing him.
As we ran, I found it difficult to keep up with his longer gait. Luckily for me, one of the runes that Steele had drawn on me allowed for a level of speed and agility that kept me nipping at Ronan’s heels.
Still, I was out of breath as we reached a large, industrial-styled glass and metal building that I knew to be the medical center. Ronan didn’t hesitate to push through the entrance as I slipped in behind him, each of us impatient and anxious to find Niz. Upon entering the building, we came to a hard stop, leveled at the sight before us.
The silent lobby I’d seen before was transformed into a hub of chaos. The center was crowded with rows of makeshift cots as the injured were laid out on them, attended by medical staff in navy uniforms. The cries of agony from the patients and shouts of orders from the medical staff left me feeling a surge of dread at all the lives that might be teetering on the edge of existence in this singular moment. The echoes of suffering were loud in my ears, threatening to overwhelm me in an impending wave.
There had to be over thirty individuals in the lobby alone. At one point, Gabe told me there were thousands of fallen within the Rebellion, but that didn’t negate the impact of this one attack. These people weren’t just a number in the Rebellion—they mattered. What would happen if the entirety of Alfemir came after us? How much loss would we suffer then?
Suddenly, a young woman with crimson blood streaked across her cheek rushed past me, causing me to stumble back in surprise. The end of her sentence rang clearly above the other murmuring voices, “...in hemorrhagic shock. I need a team immediately for the new arrival!”
Her order brought five people running toward a bed where a young man lay writhing in agony. My gaze moved to his leg, blood soaking the table from where the limb was severed above the knee. A scream ripped from his lips as he arched off the cot, the image of his torment-filled expression burning itself into my mind.
“Where are they?” I asked out loud, swallowing the bile that threatened to rise in my throat at the gruesome scene, while trying to spot Gabe or Bastian in the crowded space.
“Kieran! Ronan!” Gabe’s familiar voice pulled my attention toward the back of the lobby where a series of doors led into the smaller medical rooms available in the back, ones that were normally used for appointments and treatments.
I caught sight of Gabe’s large frame filling one of the doors to the far left, his dark hair messy as if he had been running his hand through it repeatedly. Ronan led us forward, and as we entered the crowded, private room, my legs suddenly grew shaky.
The bare walls and white tile floors felt cold and sterile, voices echoing loudly as the medical staff moved back and forth between two patients. The smell of alcohol was pungent throughout, mixing with the scent of the red and black bloodthat had been spilled. The harsh fluorescent lights showcased blood-covered cots, the viscous liquid running and dripping onto the floors beneath. The only furniture within the space was two beds.
One held Niz, surrounded by medical staff with Bastian by his side, and the other held…Amelia.
Tears pricked my eyes as I fought to push the worry and grief from my mind.No. I didn’t have time for that. I had to stay focused on helping them, however I could.
“Ronan, go,” I whispered, encouraging him to go to Niz, who lay unconscious—the amount of blood surrounding him causing my heart to beat double time with dread. I knew the medical staff were doing everything they could, but I was terrified it wouldn’t be enough, or that we’d taken too long to get him here.
“When should we expect her to wake up?” Steele’s hard voice had me looking toward the other table and moving to see Amelia better.
I took a moment to watch, noting that Gabe moved between two tables, helping the healers retrieve any supplies they needed. Somehow, his entire being radiated confidence and surety. Despite the chaos of the environment and the emotions I didn’t doubt he felt, the angel still found a way to be the rock for everyone around him. Seeing him like this filled me with strength and reaffirmed that I needed to keep my cool and be strong for those who needed us the most right now.
“How is she?” I asked the lead healer, who stood next to Steele.
He was examining Amelia’s injured side, his efficient and skilled hands moving quickly to finish securing her wrappings. Her eyes were closed and her skin chalky in color, but her breathing was even and slow, settling a part of my anxiety over her state. I could feel an aura of strength radiating from her, one that was so innate to her as a person that an injury couldn’t evendull it. The way the healer ignored my question didn’t escape my notice, but I was willing to bet he was in his own world right now, caring for his patients under extreme pressure and with little time to spare.
“Amelia’s strong, she’ll be fine. Just fine,” Gabe said, appearing next to me, his face filled with a certainty I didn’t necessarily share.
Steele didn’t react to Gabe’s reassuring words, his expression stony and his gaze hyperfocused on Amelia’s breathing, as if tracking each one of her inhales and exhales. Gabe’s words did a lot to calm me, though, so when a pained groan came from Niz’s table, I didn’t hesitate to take a step toward him.
Before I could move too far, Steele caught my arm in a gentle, but firm, grasp. A flash of our fight in the kitchen, from the day he grabbed my arm, rolled through my brain, but this felt different. I didn’t rip my arm away or tell him to not touch me. Instead, I turned toward him, finding that his silver gaze was zeroed in on me with so much intensity it caused my heart to flutter.
“Steele—”
