Page 119 of Enchanted

“Got it in one.”

Quill gave me a tight smile. “I’m okay. Will probably have a breakdown later, but I can’t ignore calls like this one.”

I reached out to touch his shoulder. “I’ll be there to break down with you. We can watch Below Deck and eat our combined weight in cereal.”

“It’s a date,” Quill said before glancing back over his shoulder. “Shit, I hope Rami didn’t hear that. I don’t want to be smited.”

His choice of words had my eyes widening. “Wait, is Rami…an angel?”

Not a question I’d ever thought I’d ask, but here we were.

“Yes,” Quill said. “An exceptionally powerful one. And before you ask, I’m a demon. Everyone in here with black wings is. But don’t worry, I’m more likely to cry because you’ve pinched the last of my Coco Pops than torture you over it.”

“Well, I think you’re safe from Rami,” I said, my gaze finding him. His hands were held out over an older woman, his brow furrowed in concentration. Blood covered his shirt and arms, and there was even a smear of it on his neck. “He’s busy.”

A sudden thought occurred to me. “Why isn’t anyone else coming to help? Like the emergency services?”

“We have compulsion nets up,” Quill said. I added compulsion nets to my list of topics to ask Rami about later. “No one outside of here will know anything has happened until after we’ve left.”

“But the hospital’s right there.” I gestured at the sprawl of buildings across the road. “Surely we need all the help we can get.”

“Just Rami alone has a better chance of saving these people. All of us are trained in emergency medical care to a certain degree; we’ve got it under control. If we let them in, we’d have to leave, which would mean…”

“More people would die,” I finished for him, watching as Rami left one person and moved on to another. Sweat was pouring down his face, his arms shaking with fatigue, but he didn’t stop. “I get it.”

“Quill!” Micah called out, his usually pristine clothes smeared with blood. “A little help?”

Micah gestured at where the ceiling was bulging ominously. Quill sighed. “Shit. Duty calls. Will you be okay?”

“Yes. Are you sure I can’t help?”

“Definitely. Just sit right here and don’t move. If you do, Rami won’t be able to focus.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask why. I knew Rami cared about me, but surely he had bigger worries on his mind right now than where I was.

Quill was up and gone faster than I was able to register. As I stared at the various angels and demons working in the tiny space, I realised Quill wasn’t the only one moving eerily fast. All of them were.

The twins were the most fascinating to watch—besides Rami, of course. There was none of that jovial banter they’d displayed during the many breakfasts I’d spent with them. Their expressions were grim as they worked in sync, throwing bandages to one another without needing to speak a word.

Suddenly, I heard a weak cough behind me. “Ethan?”

I spun around, gasping at the sight that greeted me. “Dr. Hall?”

My oncologist was half sprawled behind the counter. Dust and blood covered him as he blinked up at me in a daze. “Help me.”

“Shit.” I scrambled off my chair as I spotted a piece of rubble over his leg. I thought about shouting for help, but they were all so busy. Dr. Hall was conscious and talking, so he wouldn’t be a priority. Besides, the chunk of rubble was small. I’d be able to lift it myself. “Just hold still. I’ve got you.”

“What happened?” Dr. Hall winced as I removed the slab from his leg. “Did a bomb go off?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “Maybe. Could’ve been a gas explosion, I suppose.”

He winced again. “Can you come nearer? I can’t hear you.”

Sympathy welled up in me. My ears had been ringing, but nowhere near as badly as they should’ve been. I suspect Rami had something to do with that.

I leaned over Dr. Hall. “Of course, I’m so sorry. I said⁠—”

I never got to finish my sentence.