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NAVY
Iwoke up encased in a fort of pillows and blankets. The sun’s rays streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow throughout the room as Rhys sat in a chair by the bed, watching me.
“I can close the blinds if it’s too much,” he said softly.
“No, I’ve had enough darkness.” I tried sitting up, and he jumped up to help me, placing one of the pillows behind my back. My head pounded, and I touched my forehead, massaging the pain.
“The doctor said you would have a headache. He gave me these if you need one.” He held up a bottle of pills, fumbling with the lid.
I shook my head, feeling the bandage on my neck. “I don’t want to take anything.”
“He doesn’t think it will scar,” Rhys said. “Your neck, that is.”
“It’s all right.” I looked at all the pillows.
“You were thrashing in your sleep, and I didn’t want you to roll over and fall out,” he explained nervously, taking some of the pillows away. “I can get the doctor back here if you want to talk to him. It might be a good idea so he can finish examining you.”
“Rhys is all right. I’m fine. Sit down.”
“I’m so sorry, Navy,” he said. “God, I’m so sorry for everything.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I owe you the apology. You’re a good person, Rhys, and I never should have judged you.”
“You had every right to judge me. My dragon face would terrify anyone.”
“But it’s not who you are,” I said, reaching for his hand.
“But it is Navy. It is a bit of who I am. I need you to know I would never hurt you. Vortigern would never hurt you.”
“I know.” Our fingers interlocked. “I didn’t believe it then when I saw you in the mine shaft, but I do now, and I’m sorry for ever doubting you. You came for me without even knowing how I felt.”
“I would have come for you no matter what,” he said.
“How did you know where to find me? How did you know it was D-D-Davies?” I could barely say his name.
“It was the Dearg Due,” he said, then added, seeing the question in my eyes. “The older woman in the restaurant who picked up our bill.”
“Freya Jenkins?”
“She told me she met with you.”
“Dearg Due? Is she like you?” I asked cautiously, wondering how many others were out there like him.
“Something like that. She’s her own demon,” he said. “She was on the property when Davies was most likely planting the backpack in the mine. She heard him and felt his presence.”
“Why not tell me it was him. She kept saying I had to dig deeper.”
“She’s blind. At least when she is the Dearg Due. She relies on her other senses. I didn’t realize it until last night.”
“Oh,” I said. I wasn’t sure I was ready to talk about what happened. If I would ever be ready.
He must have sensed my hesitation because he squeezed my hand. “He’s dead. She killed him,” he said simply, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“The girls-” I started to say.
“Keir and Harry found their graves behind his house.”
I nodded.
