Four days later
Kira waited at the end of Graydon’s bed as Quillon completed his examination. The healer’s expression was regretful as he shook his head. “I can’t tell you anything different than what the other healers already have. He is sleeping comfortably, but there is no way to tell when he will wake up.”
The answer hurt. As did the knowledge that there was nothing anyone could do.
“Thank you for taking the time,” Kira told Quillon.
His face was full of sympathy as he squeezed her hand before making his departure.
Finn saw him out as Raider joined her at the bed. His arm was in a sling. He was nearly back to full health, but the healers wanted him to keep it immobile for a few more days since they weren’t sure how a human’s physiology would react to their medicine.
They seemed to think different meant weaker, but Kira had already caught Raider testing the range and motion of his arm.
She was betting it wouldn’t be long before he ditched the sling for good.
“What did you tell Elena about her mother?” Kira asked.
It was the first time they’d had a chance to talk since the arena. Elise and Aeron had been taken into custody immediately after Kira.
Unlike Kira, Elise didn’t get to keep a modicum of freedom in the form of the prisoner collar. Instead, she’d been placed under guard, her movements restricted.
Kira didn’t know if that meant a prison cell or a nice room. Quite frankly, she couldn’t bring herself to care.
It would be a long time before she forgot Elise’s betrayal. Much less forgave it.
According to Finn, Elise had asked to speak with Kira.
Not her daughter. Not Raider.
A fact that had to burn.
Raider shook his head. “I haven’t been able to figure out what to say.”
Kira could imagine. How did you tell your daughter that her mother not only doesn’t have any desire to see her after a lifetime of absence but that she also attacked the aunt that raised her?
Kira wouldn’t even begin to know where to find the words.
“Wren and Auralyn are watching her for now. The old man looks like he has aged a century,” Raider confessed.
Another person Elise’s actions had hurt.
“How are you handling this?”
Raider snorted. “About as well as you’re handling that.” He nodded at Graydon’s immobile form.
Kira smirked. “You mean fragile. Angry. Like there’s this ball of rage you don’t know what to do with because if you do anything, try to set it down or aim it somewhere else, you’re afraid it might burn down the world?”
“Something like that.”
The answer drew a smile from her. It died as she returned her attention to Graydon’s face.
“I should be happy she’s alive.” Kira’s throat was tight. “I spent so much time feeling lost when I thought she was dead. This should be a good thing.”
There had been a point where she would have given anything to have Elise back. She hadn’t cared how that might come about.
It turned out she’d overestimated her threshold of acceptance.
“Elise’s return has brought up a lot of bad feelings in all of us,” Raider agreed. “It’s made me question a lot of what I thought I knew about her.”
