Caden’s brows knitted together, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “No, I didn’t. Sean did.”
I blinked, feeling confused as I turned to Sean. “Yougot us out of there?”
Caden’s expression darkened as he turned toward Sean. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell her?”
Sean shifted uncomfortably under the attention. “Haven’t had the chance to tell her yet. She just woke up,” he mumbled, clearly not wanting to make a big deal of it.
“What?” Caden’s voice boomed, angry and filled with disbelief. His eyes snapped back to me, a whirlwind of anxiety and something darker brewing in them. “You were out fortwo whole days?”
His breathing grew ragged, the calm exterior he’d worn crumbling in an instant. His entire demeanor shifted, agitation rippling through him like a force of nature.
“Caden, I’m fine,” I muttered quickly, trying to ease the growing panic I could feel radiating off him. “Look—no bluish tint, no icicles hanging off me. I feel fine, I promise.”
“I don’t fucking care,” Caden cut me off, his voice firm, but edged with something almost primal. His stare bore into mine, intense and unyielding. “Emma, you nearly fuckingdiedin my arms.” The words came out like a growl, raw and filled with a mortal fear I hadn’t seen from him before. “You’re not getting out of this bed for at least a week.”
“What—”
“And that’s an order,” he interrupted again, his tone brooking no argument. His eyes were fierce, daring me to challenge him. “If you want to test how quickly I can demote you from Offensive to kitchen duty, go ahead. Challenge me on this, and I promise you’ll find out.”
I swallowed hard, his words sinking in. The fright—hisneedto keep me safe—was written all over his face, in the tightness of his jaw, in the way his hands trembled slightly.
Realizing just how much this had shaken him, I leaned in and wrapped my arms around him, holding him as tightly as I could. His body tensed for a moment, and then he melted into the embrace, his arms coming up to pull me close.
I buried my face in his neck, breathing in his familiar scent—blackcurrant, the faintest hint of tobacco and something warmer, almost like charcoal after a dying fire.
Whatever it was, it smelled like home.
I held him tighter, my heart pounding with the realization that, as much as I had been terrified, he had been too. More than I’d known.
“Caden,” I whispered softly, my voice muffled against his skin, “I’m here. I’m alive.”
He didn’t say anything, only tightened his hold, his breath slow but uneven, as if trying to calm himself down.
Slowly, Caden unwound himself from me, his arms lingering for just a moment before he turned to Sean and Jackson. “Guys, can we have the room for a minute?” His voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of something more—something unsettled.
They both nodded, each stepping forward to give me a reassuring kiss on the cheek before quietly slipping out of the room. I smiled at them, grateful for their presence, then turned back to Caden, grabbing his hand once more, feeling the warmth of his touch.
“Nice of Jackson to portal out here just to visit me,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, though I couldn’t help but notice the tension in Caden’s features. His face was drawn, his shoulders stiff. “You must be exhausted. I should head back to my room so you can get some rest.”
Caden’s voice turned to steel, and his grip on my hand tightened. “Move one inch, and it’s kitchen duty until your second cycle,” he said firmly, no trace of humor in his tone.
I raised my hands in mock surrender, trying to play it off with a grin, but Caden didn’t return the smile. Instead, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the unmistakable tell of someone with bad news. The air between us grew heavier, the playful banter disappearing into the background.
I sighed, my chest tightening. “Just tell me.”
Caden blinked, looking momentarily distracted, as though something else was on his mind. “One day, you need to tell me how you do that,” he muttered, half-deflecting.
“Stop deflecting,” I demanded.
“Right.” He cleared his throat, his expression turning serious. “Emma. Jackson isn’t the only one who portaled in to see you.”
I raised an eyebrow, confusion pulling at my thoughts. “What do you mean?”
Caden clenched his jaw, the unease in his eyes growing more visible. He hesitated for just a moment before speaking. “I couldn’t destroy the Amplifier by myself, so I asked for help. When they found out about your condition…they portaled in with me, and agreed to wait downstairs until after I spoke with you first.”
A wave of anxiety tore through me—sharp, sudden, and unrelenting. “Stephen’s here?” I asked, unsure of how I felt about it. The last time I’d seen him had scorched itself into my memory, and not kindly.
Caden’s hand clamped around mine, his grip almost painfully reassuring.
