I looked at my arms, and sure enough, a bruise darkened my left arm where the IV must've been.
When I was stuffed and had drunk two full glasses of juice, I sat back and sighed. “Okay. I'm awake, I'm clean, and I'm full and hydrated. I want to see my boys. What time is it?” Our curtains were drawn, and they were blackout curtains, so I never knew what time it was in our room.
“Four in the morning,” Axoular replied.
“Too early to see them, then. So, we talk.”
Anthony sighed. “We need to plan our next steps. We can't stay hidden in here forever.”
Elias stood and walked to the windows, opening the curtains on the dark view of the mountains. “I say we go on the offensive.”
“How are we going to do that?” Anthony asked. “We don't know their numbers. We don't know what magic user it is they have on their side, but it's someone extremely powerful.”
“So, we hide here forever?” Elias waved his hand around. “That's not an option either.”
“No,” I said. “It’s not.” I rubbed my stomach as I contemplated our options. “We’ll send the baby away. Surely you know of a safe place we can hide him?”
Elias whirled from the window. “What in the hell are you talking about, Riley?”
“We’ll convince them the baby died. When enough time has passed, we’ll say he’s an adopted Sárkány baby.” My heart cracked with every word. Sending my baby away. I’d already missed so much of my boys’ lives.
Anthony moved from the couch and crouched at my feet. “That’s not happening. We’ll contact the Junta. The Shapeshifters are a threat to us all. They’re reckless, foolhardy. The Junta will help us.”
“The Leyak,” I muttered.
“The what?” Elias responded from the window.
“They are the Leyak.” I stood and walked around Anthony. “They are the Leyak and before my time in this world is over, I'll make sure my child is safe from them.” I filled the cracks in my heart with cement and walked out the door.I'm Sárkány. I'm woman. I'll make them bleed.
CHAPTER SEVEN
RILEY
My days and nights were all mixed up. Another week had passed, one day running into the next. Anthony had called the Junta, who was incredibly unhelpful. They said we were safe in our mountain home, and counseled caution. We were to wait while they put out ‘feelers’ in Bali.
I shifted in my seat, hidden in the dark in Daniel’s room. I’d already sat in David’s room for several hours. Elias, Anthony, and Axoular tried, every night, to persuade me to come to bed and leave the boys to sleep. But every time I left one room, I traveled to the other, until I’d spent enough time to be sure they slept soundly and safely.
While I sat by their beds and watched their chests rise and fall, I thought, plotted, and contemplated my options. The healer had been in, and I was measuring at thirty-six weeks, though I was sure I could be no further along than thirty-four. Either way, I could go into labor any day, and we were no closer to a resolution than before. We were in limbo.
I looked toward the doorway to see Axoular there. I could barely tell it was him, thanks to the hall light coming in behind him. After one last glance at Daniel, I joined him in the hall, closing the door behind me. “What’s up?” I asked.
“Nothing. Just wanted to see what you’ve been thinking about.”
We walked toward the stairs. “Where are Anthony and Elias?”
“Sleeping. I wish you’d join them.”
I shook my head. “I’m hungry.”
His face brightened when I said that. “Let me make you some dinner. I have last night’s dinner ready to warm up.”
“Sure, thanks.”
We made our way to the kitchen where he insisted I sit while he heated up the barbeque pork from the night before. I’d smelled it cooking but couldn’t muster an appetite at the time.
“Talk to me, Riley. Why have you been hiding in the kids’ rooms?”
“I don’t know,” I said, poking at the pulled pork with my fork. “I’m so torn with regrets, and then not.”
