Not through the wrongness of her body.
“Leena…”
No response.
No breath lifted her chest.
No heartbeat answered the room.
Sule’s knees threatened to fold.
He remained upright through refusal alone, his gaze moving over her face as though he might locate an error in reality and order it corrected.
The baby cried again.
Cole crossed immediately to the cradle and lifted the heir into his arms. The child continued to wail, his tiny body rigid beneath the blanket.
Dax moved toward Rhen.
Slowly.
Carefully.
He crouched beside him as though approaching something wounded and dangerous.
“Rhen.”
No response.
Dax placed one hand firmly against his shoulder.
“Brother. Sule’s here.”
Rhen’s eyes flickered.
Once.
A fraction of acknowledgment.
His gaze lifted toward Sule.
Whatever remained inside him seemed to recognize one truth through the devVeyation.
Leena belonged with her mate.
Rhen’s hold loosened by degrees.
Not willingly.
Not completely.
Dax slid one arm behind Leena’s shoulders and helped support her weight until Sule reached them.
Sule’s hands hovered uselessly above her.
Shaking.
Terrified to touch her because touching would make the truth real.
