From below, I hear Lara and Brimar clear rooms, their feet shuffling around. I stay stiff as a board under Keller, trying not to move despite my shaking legs.
“Clear,” Brimar says in the distance.
“Clear,” Lara says, their voices growing closer.
My teeth chatter, and adrenaline’s pumping through me now.
“It’s okay,” Keller whispers.
“Clear.”
“Clear.”
And then, the creak of stairs. I grow even stiffer under Keller.
“It’s probably Brimar,” he whispers.
“Has Rogue secured Gisla?” Brimar calls out.
“Secured,” Keller replies.
The door opens to my bedroom and Brimar says, “Clear. Safe to come out.”
Keller moves off me and then helps me to my wobbly feet. He loops his arm around my waist and slowly helps me to the edge of my bed, where I take a deep breath. “What... what was it?”
Lara appears at the door and says, “An unlatched window blew open from the wind and broke when it hit the wall.” She sticks her handgun in the back of her pants. “All rooms have been cleared. We’re going to fasten wood to the window and secure it shut.”
“Okay,” Keller says. “I’ll help.” He takes one step but I’m clutching his hand before he can move any farther.
Call it the adrenaline, call it all the talk of wanting to keep me safe, but in a short minute, I went from sleeping like an angel to a freaking nervous wreck, and I need comfort. “Please stay with me.” My lip still trembles.
He eyes me, and I notice the minute he sees that I need him to stay, because he softly nods. “Do you two have it covered?”
“Yes,” Brimar says. “We’ll take care of it. Sorry about the disturbance.”
When they leave, I’m still shaking. “That was... that was terrifying.”
In the corner of my room is an armchair, and Keller drags it closer to my bed and takes a seat. “Yes, but nothing to worry about, it was just the wind.”
“Well, the wind needs to take a chill pill.” I blow out a heavy breath. “Jeez.” When my eyes meet Keller’s, I tilt my head to the side and ask, “Did Brimar call you Rogue and call me Gisla?”
“Yes. Those are our code names.”
“Why Gisla?”
“Princess Gisla, strong-willed and independent. Felt suitable for you.” He grabs the blankets of my bed and tugs them down so I can slip in. “Go back to bed.”
“My heart is still hammering. There’s no way I’ll be able to sleep now. And not to sound like I’m the biggest wuss in the world, but I’m also still slightly terrified with what happened.”
“Do you need to talk about it?”
“Yes, that would be great.” Not giving him a second to respond, I continue, “What would’ve happened if it was an intruder?”
“Well, Brimar and Lara would have done exactly what they did, gone room to room looking for any suspicious behavior, and I would’ve been here with you. Now, if someone entered our room, I would’ve shielded you. I told you, I would do everything within me to protect you.”
“What if the person had a gun or a knife or something?”
“I would have fought them off. Just like Brimar and Lara, I’ve gone through extensive training.”
