Sean’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? Are you out of your godsdamn mind?”
“McGrath,” I growled, “Emma needs medical attention right the fuck now, or she’s not going to make it, and that is not something I am allowing to happen.Youget her to safety andyoufind her a Healer oryou and Iare about to have a fucking problem.”
He stared at me, jaw clenched, searching my face as if trying to find a crack in my resolve.
“And you’ll be okay on your own?”
“I’ll be fine,” I hissed, though the pit in my stomach told me this was a gamble. But it wasn’t about me—it was only abouther. “I’ve got this. Now go.”
For a moment, he hesitated, his eyes flicking between Emma’s still form and the raging storm of glacial death behindus. But he nodded, determination hardening his features. “All right,” he said, voice tight with clear frustration about my command, which I couldn’t care less about. “I’ll get her out. But you better nex me the second you’re in the clear, Caden. You hear me?”
“Yeah.” I squeezed Emma’s cold hand one last time, letting the warmth of my grip linger before releasing her. Then I turned toward the nuclear weapon, realizing how fucking insane I was for doing this. “Now get moving.”
The helicopter tilted slightly as Sean adjusted its course. Without wasting time, I grabbed a duffel bag from behind the seat, the worn fabric rough against my fingers, and stuffed the Amplifier inside.
When the chopper touched down, I didn’t look back before jumping out. Sean’s face was etched with concern, but there was no time for words. I slung the pack over my shoulders, feeling the uncomfortable weight pressing into my back, and sprinted toward the nearest building. My heart pounded, but my mind stayed focused. There was no margin for error now.
As I ran, my thoughts flashed to the days spent preparing for the Great Exposure, immersing myself in all things human. Emma had helped me learn, bringing me devices like regular cellphones to dissect and study. By now, I could take one apart and put it back together faster than most humans could send a text. I needed that skill now. Most of all, I needed a phone, and fast.
It was a long shot, but there was one person I knew might be able to help—the one person whose contact information I had committed to memory, just in case anything ever happened to Emma.
I skidded to a halt outside the building and spotted an old payphone—rusted, not entirely functional, but it would have to do. My fingers fumbled with the buttons, dialing the number Iknew by heart. Each ring of the phone felt like a countdown, the silence stretching painfully between the tones.
On the first ring, the call connected.
“Walker,” I rasped, my voice hoarse but filled with urgency. “I need your help.”
FORTY-FIVE
EMMA
Cold. I was so cold.
“Fight it.”
Why couldn’t I breathe?
“Come back to me.”
The darkness was so tempting, like a siren's call, urging me to let go. But then, I felt a touch—soft lips pressing against mine, breathing life back into me.
Did I dream all that?
“Emma?” a known voice whispered near to me.
I blinked awake, my eyes fluttering open to a room unfamiliar yet somehow comforting. I was nestled in a luxurious four-poster bed with richly embroidered pillows and soft linens, the heavy drapes drawn back to reveal the grandeur of the room.
Stone walls, adorned with intricate drawings depicting Scottish landscapes and mythical beasts, gave the space a timeless, majestic feel. The large fireplace across from mecrackled warmly, its glow dancing across the dark oak furniture and the polished surface of an antique wardrobe.
I squinted through the haze and saw Sean’s concerned face hovering above me. “Hi,” I croaked.
Behind him, another figure came into focus. I frowned. “Jackson?”
Jackson exhaled deeply, the relief he felt evident. “Fuck, Emma. You had us worried there for a second.”
Emotion tightened in my core at the sight of Jackson, my friend whom I hadn’t seen in months. “What are you doing here?” I asked quietly.
Jackson took my hand gently. “You think you can nearly die on me and not have me by your side?”
