I wanted it to be, but I had a terrible feeling in my stomach. I just hoped Rey could be saved before it was too late. Or maybe it was already too late. I had no idea what was even wrong with him.
Rissa kicked a rock in the driveway in frustration. It bounced off of a tree several yards away. "I would've thought the muse sucked Rey's compassion, but when the muse died, he would've gotten it back. This is something else. Something the alchemists have done."
I furrowed my brow. "Hang on. I don't think I've got my creativity back. Shouldn't it have come back to me when he died?"
Rissa sighed. "It should have, yes. It didn't?"
Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine myself painting or sculpting, or drawing on my tablet. "No. I don't think so. I'm still as blocked as ever."
Roma and Rissa exchanged a glance, then a shout from near the house drew our attention. Bran was running toward us, carrying Paul. "What's going on?" Roma called.
"He's not dead." Rissa opened the back of her SUV and Bran carefully maneuvered the tall muse into the back seat.
“He's badly injured. I did what I could but I'm very limited with how much healing I can do."
"Tanni," Roma said. "She's been practicing ever since you guys told her she has healing powers. She's been a woman obsessed. Take him to her lab."
"Where's Rey?" Rissa asked. "Is he coming?"
Bran shook his head. "He wasn't back there."
Rissa and I exchanged a glance. "Where is he?" I whispered.
She shrugged. "In his frame of mind, I have no idea. And if this asshole isn't dead..."
I finished her thought. "He stole Rey's compassion."
"Emotions," Paul groaned. "I took his emotions."
"Well, give them back," I said. If the jerk hadn't been so badly injured, I would've kicked him. As it was, I still gave it some very serious consideration.
"Can't. Need the energy to heal." He passed out, slumping over in the seat.
Bran slammed the door shut. "Come on. We need to stay together until we figure out what's going on with Rey."
Rissa looked like she wanted to argue, but even she had a hard time defying a direct order from her king. The struggle was written all over her face. She sighed and nodded, then climbed into the driver's seat. "Let's go."
We all piled in, Roma squeezed in next to me in the front and Bran with the muse in the back. None of us said much, but tension hung heavy in the air. Everyone was worried about Rey and what might have happened to him. It wasn't that we were that worried about Paul. I mean, it would be better if he didn't die, but I couldn't muster up a ton of compassion for the muse. He was a jerk. It was against the law to kill him just for being a muse, but I had to wonder if Bran was willing to overlook that because of what Paul had done.
What must it be like, trying to wean all these people away from just killing to solve their problems, even if it was the easiest solution? No wonder he looked tired. At least Roma would be able to help him with that.
Roma finally broke the silence as we drove away. "We'll figure it out," she said with a reassuring squeeze. I was practically sitting in her lap.
"His words still hurt. What if that's how he really feels and now he has no filter to stop it?"
"No," Rissa said. "The muse said he took his emotions. Any feelings he had for you are gone right now. This isn't how he feels, not at all."
Roma patted my back. "See? She makes sense."
When we got to the lab, Rissa pulled us right up to the door. Tanni came out, followed by Cassie.
"Hey, sister," Roma said as she pulled Cassie into a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Just hanging out with Tanni, helping her figure out her power." We watched as Bran carried Paul into the building, then we followed while Rissa parked properly. The conversation was already in full swing by the time we arrived.
"No compassion, huh?" Cassie asked. "So, whatever he feels, it's not really him?"
"It's not," I said with a nod. "And it's worse than that. Paul woke up enough to tell us he took Rey's emotions entirely. Not just his compassion."
