“Easy, Sarai.” Towering over the girl, Morgan settled his hands on her shoulders, keeping her focused on him. “Tell me exactly, specifically,what is going on with Aiden. He was fine last night when I checked on you.”
The girl’s eyes flickered to the others.
“No. Eyes on me, Sarai. Take a deep breath, all the way, like I showed you.” Morgan paused, waiting for her to comply. “There you go. Now tellme. Nobody else. Just me.”
Sarai took another deep breath and looked at Morgan. “I know he looks fine, but he’s not. On theinside. They sewed his wounds closed and said he needed rest, but that’s not… he’snotsleeping! He’s still sick. I know something is wrong, but I don’t know what to do. Hecan’tdie, Morgan. He can’t.”
Her voice cracked on the last word, fresh tears erupting from her eyes as she sobbed. Morgan tucked her against his chest and rubbed her back as she cried into his shirt, murmuring softly to her.
Understanding clicked in Celina’s mind. This girl was why Morgan was so on edge about Rodric’s presence. The increased protectiveness was because he’d found a soul-daughter to guard. Even without touching them with her magic, Celina could tell that there was a strong bond growing between them.
After a few moments, the girl calmed, and Morgan spoke again. “Alright, Sarai, this is what we’re going to do. Celina is a healer. One with magic, not the regular kind of healer who helped Aiden when we arrived. We’re going to let her examine him, then we’ll do whatever she says in order to help him.”
Sarai stepped back, brushing tears off her face. “Okay. But I’m staying the whole time to help.” She glared at the rest of the room, ready to fight anyone who tried to stop her.
A smile tugged at Celina’s mouth despite the severity of the situation. Sarai’s strength and defiance reminded her of herself when her powers had awakened, albeit at a much younger age, and she’d vehemently argued with anyone in her path when trying to save someone.
“Hey, look at me.” Morgan gently turned Sarai’s face back to his. “I know what you two went through together. Anyone who tries to separate you will have to go through me first. You’re mine to protect, Sarai. I’m keeping you as my soul-daughter.”
“You mean it?” Sarai whispered, voice trembling, staring up at Morgan like he was her lifeline, her foundation in a crumbling world.
Celina’s heart broke for the young girl who had been through so much. Looking over at Rodric, she found a look of intense pain on his features. As a soul-guardian himself, he could understand the magnitude and significance of what was happening. Celina yearned to embrace him. Watching Morgan claim Sarai as his soul-daughter had to be painful.
Morgan smiled at the girl. “Yeah, starshine. I promise. We’ll get a binder to seal the bond magically and make everything official so I can adopt you as my daughter, okay?”
Sarai hugged him, a heartbreaking smile on her face as she nodded. He kissed the top of her head before releasing her.
“You go on up with Aiden now and we’ll be right behind you.”
Morgan waited until Sarai reached the top of the stairs and turned the corner out of sight before letting out a huge, audible breath.
Celina could imagine the tumultuous emotions plaguing him—she’d been through similar when she had to take on a mothering role at such a young age. Only a handful of years older than her and Cass, Morgan was young to take on a teenage daughter. But sometimes family bonds and need took precedence over age and the natural order of things.
Sensing the worry building in him, Celina stepped forward and squeezed his shoulder. “You’re going to do great, Morgan. She’s lucky to have you.”
“I don’t know anything about being a parent, Celina. And she’s a traumatized teenager.”
“Follow the same instincts you just did, and you’ll be fine.”
Morgan flashed Celina a grateful smile as he headed up the stairs.
Worry settled in her gut once again as she turned to Rodric. He looked nauseous, staring in an unfocused way in front of him.
“We’ll find your soul-daughter, Rodric.” She reached out to touch his hand. His gaze swiveled to her, a lost, horrified look on his face making Celina’s heart ache.
She believed wholeheartedly that Rodric wanted to help Brenna. But if she was going to help him, she was going to do it her way, and that included preparing him to help Brenna emotionally once she was physically safe. Starting by inviting him to witness this new world.
“Come on, you should join us.” Forcing herself to turn away, she followed Morgan, leaving Rodric with the choice.
Chapter 7
WhenRodricwasateenager, first out hunting on his own, he had reveled in his freedom. Running from the black cloud of suspicion and rejection hovering over his family was so much better on the back of his horse as he raced through the woods over fallen logs and under weeping branches. The forest was vast and filled with so much to explore—enough for a lifetime—and that was exactly what he had decided to do.
Slowly, the laws and life of the hunter replaced those of the noble house in which he was raised. He became not just a hunter, but one of the Preddari—an honorable warrior, fierce hunter, and renowned tracker. Trusted and respected by his fellow Preddari brothers. His fear and grief had dwindled to the faintest trickle flowing through him as he embraced this part of himself, built a life free of the weight of his heritage and history.
One day, he was racing with pure abandon as Zora weaved through the trees at a dizzying pace and was slammed to the ground by the heavy branch of a yolun tree. It came out of nowhere, stealing his breath and leaving his mind blank for a few moments of expectant, floating silence. Until the pain struck with the power of a thunderstorm, rolling through him to leave a trail of lightning in its wake. His broken ribs had monitored every movement of his lungs, making him pay for every precious breath of air he pulled in, keeping him still until Zora returned to find her fallen master staring at her from the forest floor.
Another unexpected branch hit him now, with the wordsCelina is a healer.Shock froze his mind as he followed Celina up the stairs, leaving him completely blank and floating. He mindlessly entered the room, the words reverberating through him in the deafening silence. He was only vaguely aware of Morgan and Sarai in the room with him, his gaze following Celina like a beacon.
