Page 138 of A Courage of the Chosen

That’s my fault, though, isn’t it? If only I’d been brave enough to tell my closest friends what’s been going on with me, perhaps Rachel wouldn’t have sacrificed herself like that.

When we find a way to save her, she’s in trouble for being so reckless.

“Come on,” I take Callahan’s hand in mine, leading them to the spot we’re meeting Brodie. “We’ll explain everything, but we need to move, Brodie and Rach are waiting.”

Reyne snatches a blanket off one of the beds on our way out, and the four of us hurry through the halls. With every step, I ignore the fatigue tugging on me, and as the last of adrenaline leaves my body, I’m fully convinced my bones cease to exist and I’m holding myself together with sheer will.

Brodie is waiting exactly where he said he’d be, Rach cradled in his burly arms. There’s fury and fear swirling in his deep eyes, and I want nothing more than to pull him to me and comfort him. I know full well if I tried that right now, he’d be likely to punch me and not even be sorry about it.

Reyne cries when she sees our friend limp and unresponsive, and Eòghann takes the blanket out of her grasp, nearing Brodie to drape it over Rachel’s body.

Brodie snarls and twists her away from him.

Eòghann raises one hand in surrender. “Hey, I’m just covering her so we can get through the palace without too many questions, okay?”

A single nod of Brodie’s head is all he gives in reply, and Eòghann moves incredibly slowly, making sure Rach is hidden fully beneath the blanket.

“Everything’s ready, we just need the chains, but Lorna has something that will keep her sedated until they arrive,” I tell him, and his shoulder clips mine as he strides past.

“Watch it!” Cal barks, moving to storm after him.

I catch his arm. “Don’t. He’s hurting.”

He snorts a breath and we follow Brodie, whose pace is so fast I have to jog to keep up.

Lorna is waiting for us when we arrive, and I shove the memories aside of my time in these rooms, when I believed I was human, and thought I had feelings for the man who killed my mother.

Brodie lays Rach down on the bed, brushing the milk-chocolate hair from her face as he steps away. Lorna immediately sweeps in, and he relaxes a little as he perches on the edge of the bed.

“Dorche?” Lorna asks in a hard tone.

“Yes. We kept her asleep with seline root on the road,” I inform the healer.

“Smart.”

“Can you save her?” My voice breaks on the last word, and all of us hold our breath as we wait for an answer. Warmth gathers around Lorna as she calls on her unique magic, and she remains mute as her hands pass over Rach.

“Wounds are different. This magic has infused itself to her power. We’ve never been able to separate them once it’s happened.”

Callahan turns his back on them, bracing his hands on his head.

“Try,” Brodie demands. “You will try everything.”

Lorna lifts her head with a look that’s equal parts sympathetic and exasperated. “You think we haven’t? My brother is now a Brollachan. I tried everything I knew to save him.”

“Try. Again,” Brodie bites out.

“We’d appreciate your efforts, Lorna,” I interject in a softer tone.

“Of course, Your Majesty. Just please don’t get your hopes up.”

There’s a piercing pain in my torso, one too similar to the excruciating agony of having my chest torn to shreds by Tavish’s dagger. It’s not mine, though.

Callahan leaves without looking back, head bowed and heart cleaved open, because despite what he said on the road about her being gone, and despite the empty look in his eyes, Callahan hoped there would be a way to avoid what’s coming for Rach. A tiny spark he didn’t want or dare hold on to.

A spark that Lorna nearly snuffed out with her words.

Chapter 40