Page 71 of In Your Light

“It is,” Ciaran said, giving Aurin and Salem a smile. “Hadeom’s... not in any shape to be a danger to anyone right now.”

Salem went still for a moment. “Is he injured? Did you...”

“No,” Ciaran said. “Sit down, and we’ll talk while we eat. You guys have had a tiring day, no doubt.”

Aurin smiled at the four kittens in the basket on his lap, and he readjusted their blanket to cover them. “They have bellies full of clams, and they’re exhausted.”

Sawyer dished up some food for Aurin first, then Salem. “Eat up. You guys must be exhausted too. It’s been a crazy day, huh?”

Aurin took a small bite. “So, is he gone?”

“Not physically,” Hendrix answered. “Physically he’s here, curled up in a ball on Fyn’s floor. But mentally, he’s somewhere else. Somewhere far away.”

Salem looked to Hendrix, then to Ciaran. “What?”

“Somewhere dark,” Tobin murmured. Then he shuddered and shook his head. “Terrible and angry, filled with grief and distress, and there was screaming. I thought inside Lusca’s head was bad but this was so, so much fucking worse.” He swallowed hard, still pale. “I don’t know if he can come back from that place. It felt.... It felt...”

Fray rubbed his back. “It felt like what, baby?”

“Like he wasn’t allowed to leave? I dunno. Like the darkness was pulling his soul in?” Tobin’s haunted gaze met Ciaran’s. “I don’t think he’s coming back from that place. If you could imagine the worst kind of suffering. Like the worst kind of suffering. Then times it by infinity.”

Jesus Christ.

Fray stood up and kissed the side of Tobin’s head. “Come on, baby. Hop up.” He half pulled Tobin to his feet before he looked at Kellan. “I’m taking him freeform. I don’t know how long we’ll be, but if I need you...”

“Of course,” Kellan said.

Fray gave Ciaran a nod as he led Tobin out, and the room was silent for a long moment.

“And he only saw inside Hadeom’s head for a split second,” Hendrix said. “Imagine what it’s like being in there full-time.”

“Will Tobin be okay?” Sawyer asked Ciaran quietly.

“Freeform will help,” Ciaran said. “It regulates us. It will help clear his mind.”

“Good,” Sawyer whispered. “Would it help Hadeom?”

“To be held underwater?” Salem asked. “Perhaps we should try it.”

Sawyer chuckled. “Maybe. I meant morphing or changing. I don’t know what to call it. He’s a raven, right? Maybe flying would regulate him?”

“I’m not sure he’s capable of anything right now,” Ciaran said. “He might need Cern’s help.”

Ciaran didn’t miss the way Salem’s brow pinched. “Sorry, Salem. I know this can’t be easy for you. We don’t exactly care about Hadeom, but he can’t leave right now. He’s catatonic or something. We need him to recover before we can send him away.”

Salem nodded slowly. “I understand.”

“Fyn’s with him?” Aurin asked.

“Yeah,” Sawyer answered. “He’s upset. He didn’t know who Hadeom really was.”

“He loves him,” Aurin said, his voice soft and sad. “Well, he loved him before. I don’t know. Perhaps he loves him still.”

“He was sitting on the floor with him when we left,” Ciaran explained. “I said I’d take some food up in a little while because he didn’t want to leave him. But yeah, Fyn’s upset.”

Aurin frowned. “I’d like to go up with you, if that’s all right?”

Salem grabbed Aurin’s arm. “No, Aurin, it’s not safe.”