“Ayden!” A loud scream breaks through the ringing in my ear. “Oh my god, Ayden!”
A grip on the back of my neck pulls me upright, snapping me to reality.
“Ronan! Help him!”
I shut my eyes, because my vision returns only to shake so much that I’m immediately dizzy.
He groans. “That’s reserved strictly for you, baby girl.”
“Help him! Now!”
“Damn it.” Thundering footsteps approach, and before I know it, I’m hoisted up into a seated position. “Open your eyes.” His commanding voice tells me Ireallyshouldn’t fight it, even if I just want to sleep. I want to run away from opening them to anyone but Keo.
“Ayden. Now.”
I do, but as it had been before, everything spins in a circle. I could swear I’ve gone cross-eyed.
“You’re safe.” The sudden shift in his voice has me blinking rapidly. “I’m here with you.” When I finally have clarity in my vision, it’s Ronan’s stoic face that takes up the majority of my view. I vaguely see Calista in my peripheral, but I stick to staring right into his blue gaze. “You aren’t alone.”
Heat floods my eyes.
“Let’s breathe together. Alright? Nod for me.”
I slowly do as he says.
“Good. In through your nose… four seconds, hold it…” Following his instructions, I begin to feel the weight on my chest coming off me. “Good, out through your mouth.”
The hand that isn’t holding me up presses against my stomach. “Breathe from here. Focus on pushing my hand up. Bring in air until you feel that last hard intake, then hold it.”
After a few rounds of breathing, he nods.
“Now, name five things you see.
“You… Cal… the word SIT… the TV… wood…”
“Very good. Now, four things you feel.”
Cal comes to sit beside me, and she brushes her hand across my forehead. “Cal, you… the fire… Clover?” I turn my head to the side and see the cat brushing against my arm that rests at my side.
“Focus, Ayden. Tell me three things you hear.”
I shut my eyes briefly. “Your voice… the fire… and purring.”
“Almost there. You’re doing great. Two things you smell.”
I take a breath through my nose. “Burning wood, and… cucumber lotion.”
Cal lets out a somber chuckle.
“Last one. What do you taste?”
I run my tongue around in my mouth, before saying, “Nothing.”
When I look back up to him, he’s nodding. “This is going to pass. You aren’t in any danger. Cal and I have you.”
Watching as she presses a hand to his neck and leans in to kiss his cheek has my heart aching.
Once I’ve drawn enough oxygen into my lungs and my breathing steadies, they help me off the ground.
