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And then Wrath was laying her down on her bed. The old springs of the cast-iron frame gave a familiar creak, and the waft of her normal detergent was achingly familiar on the linens.
“Eddie?” Dee’s face wove into sight above her. Tears spilled down Dee’s cheeks and fogged up the lenses of her glasses. “Oh, Eddie-girl.”
She could count on one hand the times she’d seen Dee cry. When Rosabella had left the first time, she had a dim memory of Dee wiping away tears. Tears of pride on Eddie’s graduation and other special occasions, the wistful mistiness of Christmases and Birthdays. But she had never seen Dee too overcome to speak, sobs shaking her slim shoulders and tears running down her cheeks.
Gently cradling her face, Dee cried.
“It’s okay.” Eddie’s voice sounded rusty and disused. “I’m okay, Dee.”
Mutely, Dee shook her head and kept right on bawling.
Shade looked at someone over her head. “She needs something to drink. She’s exhausted.”
“Apple juice,” Lillian chirped. “I have some in my tote.”
The Macbeth rehearsal had been ending when Eddie had arrived, and a few had followed them upstairs.
Shade nodded. “That will do fine.”
“Should we call a doctor?” Peter, Macbeth’s director, spoke from somewhere near her doorway. “Better yet, take her to a hospital.”
Eddie didn’t want to go anywhere, and she tried to struggle into a sitting position. “No.”
“You’re staying right here.” Shade pressed her down gently. “Wrath will take care of you.”
There were so many figures in her room that they all blurred into a cacophony of words and images. Her head began pounding.
“Right.” Wrath’s voice cut through the chatter. “Everybody out. You can see Edme when she’s rested, but right now, she needs quiet.”
Lillian spoke up, “And apple juice. I have her apple juice.”
“And apple juice,” Wrath said softly. “I’m going to need you to take everyone downstairs. She’s overwhelmed.”
“Of course.” Lillian’s voice grew sergeant major strong. “Everybody but immediate family out.”
There was more bustle and then silence.
Her bed dipped as Wrath sat down beside her. “Daughter,” he whispered hoarsely. His big hand smoothed hair back from her face, calloused, strong, and tender. Moisture gathered in his blue eyes. “You don’t look your best.”
“I’ve had a bad few weeks.” And the laughter was exactly what she needed to ground herself.
Her bedroom door flew open, and Cronus and Xerxes muscled their way into the room.
The hounds crawled onto her bed and took up position either side of her.
“Be gentle,” Wrath said to them.
Both hounds gave him a fang flash and low growl.
“They won’t hurt her,” Shade said. “They adore her.” His gaze caressed her face. “We all adore her.”
Nodding, Wrath placed his hand on her chest. A warm glow emanated from the contact of his palm against her skin.
He frowned and glanced at Shade. “I will need to heal her.” Then his tender blue eyes were back on her. “What did they do to you?”
“An amulet, like the one they put on you.” Eddie shuddered as her mind flooded with terrible memories. “They drained my power.”
Xerxes growled and pressed closer.
