“Cool.” I whispered “right. Yep, stays here. Go get checked out.”
He tried for a smile and slipped out of the room.
I sat down on my bed again, head reeling and incredibly unsure about how to feel.
CHAPTER 16
Theo
Johnathan cornered me just about as soon as I’d managed to drag myself downstairs, which was straight after I’d decided to go about things in the way Stryker had said- none of my business, not my problem, if it didn’t hinder his performance it was fine.
I cringed internally, preparing myself for an absolute nagging which I wasn’t sure if I was able to deal with this morning. I was going into sensory overload. Instead, he folded his arms and said “good morning, Theo,” quite pleasantly.
“Morning, Sir.” I replied, shifting edgily. He didn’tlookangry. But…that could be misleading.
“Stryker’s showing signs of waking up.”
I perked up at the words. “Really?”
“You- I’m going to head over there. Would you like to come?”
“Yes.” I nodded eagerly. Ineededto talk to Stryker. “That- that’d be great, thank you, sir.”
“Don’t worry about it. And Theo?” He added, handing me my boots. There was a twinkle in his eye. “Moderate the alcohol next time.”
I felt myself flush red.
“I…”
“Don’t sweat it.” The commander smirked, looking amused more than anything “come on. Don’t tell anyone where we’re going, yeah?”
“Sure.”
When I arrived at the healers’ base to find Stryker partly sitting up in bed, hugging his dad tightly, I felt a lot more at ease. He was awake. To me, that meant that he was better.
“It’s okay, Stryker. You’re alright.” The man was murmuring, rubbing his back. Armelle spotted us approaching and sent us both a trembling smile.
Johnathan clapped Stryker’s dad on the back and quietly sat down in the uncomfortable looking chair by his bedside, shooting the young prince a wink.
“Theo, right?” Armelle asked me quietly.
I nodded once.
“I figured I was rude the other day.” She murmured “I- I was worried.”
“It’s fine.” I replied “really, I get it. He was sick.”
She smiled again, turning her attention back to her brother. He looked shaken up, to say the least, and terribly pale.
“Dad.” Stryker sniffled “I- I could hear you. I could hear you all and I couldn’t do anything. Dad, I couldn’t-“
I’d never seen him so discomposed.
“We were really scared.” I breathed, stepping into his line of sight, “all of us, back at the base. We’ve been really on edge lately.You scared the shit out of us.”
“Sorry.” He whispered.
Stryker’s dad squeezed his shoulder “you’re gonna be on bed rest for a while. You’re gonna have to take it easy.”
