Page 56

“I’ll ask for a triple dose.”

“This is serious, Talyn. I don’t think you should go.”

He shook his head. “I’ll keep my barriers up, take the drugs, and keep the visit short. We need to know why Mom is asking for me. Maybe she’ll be okay when she sees me. She still has moments when she’s lucid.”

“She does. Let’s hope today is one of them.” Laya glanced away from the screen. “I’ve got to go. The doctor is asking for me. Let me know how it goes.”

“Of course. And let me know how Nilia gets on. You focus on her. She’s the most important thing in your life.”

Laya nodded before the comm link cut off.

Talyn slumped in his seat. Could he handle his mom on his own? Her voice and feelings hammered inside his head as the transport ship took off and drew closer to the hospital, making him feel sick.

He needed to do this. His mom needed him. Talyn could manage some discomfort if it helped her.

He glanced out the window as the ship lowered through the atmosphere of the planet. He took a deep breath, slammed his barriers into place, and stood to leave the ship.

As soon as he stepped out of the ship, he felt her power like a hot, jagged wave. She could sense he was near, and her anxiety had shifted up a gear.

He blew out a long, slow breath as he walked behind the other visitors, wondering if they were feeling the same symptoms.

There was a mixture of different aliens visiting patients, but the majority were Lillips. They were the ones who suffered most from this condition.

Talyn staggered as he reached the door. He took a second to compose himself and continued. His vision was blurry as other patients emotions filtered through his barriers.

A human nurse approached him, a tray of suppressant pills in her hand. “It looks like you need these.”

“Mind if I have a triple dose?” He grabbed the pills.

Her mouth twisted to the side, but she nodded. “They’re not candy.”

Talyn dry swallowed the pills. “I’m here to see Baye Dazan. I’m her son.”

The nurse’s eyes widened a fraction, confirming his worst fears about her condition. “A triple dose is a good idea. Your mom’s a lovely individual, but she struggles.” She briefly patted his arm before moving along the line to dispense more suppressant pills.

Visitors peeled off toward the patient rooms. Laya had told Talyn the room number their mom was in, and he walked slowly along the corridor, feeling the suppressant drugs seep through his system. They helped a little, but his mom’s voice was still urgent.

He reached her door and was surprised to see a Skimmer outside. Skimmers were employed to absorb the intense, unstable emotions patients had. They acted like emotional sponges, using their own ability to make things calmer for visitors. This was the first Skimmer he’d seen outside a patient’s door.

Skimmers were well-paid, and they needed to be. This was a tough job, and you needed a mind of steel to take the daily emotional beatings.

Skimmers did not talk. When they worked, they remained deep inside their own minds, fighting battles with the emotions and feelings that assaulted them. There’d be no point in making conversation to find out why he was stationed outside his mom’s door.

Talyn eased open the door and stepped into the room. It was painted a calming sage green, a single bed in one corner, and a small closet against one wall. Talyn’s attention fixed on his mom.

She wore pale blue slacks and a pullover. Her feet were bare, and her chin rested on her chest.

Talyn sucked in a breath. “Mom, I’m here. You asked to see me.”

She raised her head slowly. Her vacant vision snapped into focus as she smiled.

It made Talyn’s heart ache. He remembered that smile from his childhood. She’d always been so open and friendly and had always felt emotions so strongly, just like him.

“Is this a dream?” She stood slowly and held out her hands.

Talyn sensed her confusion, mingled with happiness and a dash of fear. “I’m here. I’ve been hearing you. I wanted to make sure you were doing okay.” He wanted so badly for her to be well. The suppressant drugs wouldn’t hold for long, and this moment of calm could vanish in an instant.

He flinched as his mom threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around him, and her head rested against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and felt her thin body shaking against his. When had she gotten so small? She couldn’t be eating properly.