AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mary lifted her chin stoically. “Tell him Grace is on her way.”
“And then what?”
“Then be there for him. Do what you do best.” At Daisy’s questioning brow, Mary tapped Daisy on the sternum. “Listen to this and you’ll never steer wrong.”
* * *
Daisy enteredElena’s room on quiet feet. In the dark, Axel hunched in a chair, his head in his hands. Elena was lying face up, her lips parted, her breath coming with long gaps between. It smelled like death. Sour. Stale. Old.
“I’m sorry,” Daisy whispered and touched Axel’s shoulder.
He shrugged her off with a frown and refused to meet her gaze. Daisy’s stomach dropped. She went cold. This was her fault. He didn’t say it, but he thought it. Why else would he flinch away from her?
Her throat thickened and burned at the back.
She didn’t know what to do.
Axel had quit his job so he could spend time with Elena. He’d joined the Faithful hoping to give her a second chance at life. The brave face he’d put on, the eternal hope and optimism he’d had at the time their bond triggered was nothing but water under the bridge. Gone.
Before she could say anything else, Grace, followed by Evan, rushed into the room. She looked like she hadn’t had a moment’s peace since they’d rescued her. But she didn’t complain. She was a star. Evan watched his mate caring for Elena with pride in his eyes.
If Axel didn’t want Daisy’s compassion, then she shouldn’t be there. This was a private moment for him and she was intruding. Feeling a numbness take over, she stumbled out of the room and into the empty kitchen and living room. Where it had previously been full of people, it was now empty. Misha’s family must be with her in Wyatt’s apartment. Mary and Flint were probably reuniting with the other siblings or checking on Griffin.
Daisy glanced back at the hallway, hesitating, wondering if maybe she should go in anyway, but then chickened out. He didn’t want her there, and if Elena died, he would blame Daisy.
It’s what Daisy would do.
It’s what she had done.
She’d blamed Mary for something out of her control. Mary had been in Axel’s shoes. Of course she’d wanted to save Daisy, but she also had grave responsibilities. Mary had to save the world, not just the other Lazarus siblings. No one intentionally left Daisy there. It wasn’t personal.
Just like Elena’s situation. It was dumb, bad luck.
How they responded now was what mattered.
Daisy walked toward the exit but promised herself she wouldn’t be long. Axel needed her. She would be back.
