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We carried him to an empty bedchamber upstairs, unable to return him to Grayson in his condition. I sat at his bedside with Fang, feeding him blood, keeping an eye on him to make sure he continued to breathe.
I hadn’t slept in three days.
I was too afraid if I did, I would wake up…and he would be gone.
His father and brothers came to visit, stood there and stared at his sleeping face. They didn’t speak to me. I didn’t speak to them.
I already felt like a widow.
Cobra entered the room, no longer in his armor and uniform, but regular street clothes. The battle had been won days ago. The werewolves had returned to their dens. The humans had cleaned up the city that we’d destroyed and liberated. Life went on—but not for me.
Cobra pulled up a chair and sat at his brother’s side. This was how all the visits went—spent in silence. He stared at his hands in his lap and didn’t even look at his brother. “The Werewolf King was nine feet tall…thicker than twelve oxen put together—”
“I don’t want to hear this.”
“He fought valiantly. If it were me…I wouldn’t have lasted nearly as long.”
“Stop.”
“He’s still here, Larisa.” He lifted his chin and looked at me. “If he’s made it this long…I think he’ll pull through.”
“Please don’t get my hopes up.”
“I think hope is exactly what we need.” His eyes shifted to his brother. “His face looks better.”
The change was hard for me to see, because I stared at him every day, all day.
“Have you checked his bones?”
“I—I don’t want to see.”
“You want me to check?”
“Just—just leave him alone.” If his body could heal, it would happen naturally. I didn’t want to touch anything and cause him pain. I didn’t want to do anything to interfere with his healing.
Cobra turned quiet.
“I’m sorry…for what I said before.” I’d blamed Cobra for Kingsnake’s state, and that wasn’t right. “I was just upset—”
“It’s okay, Larisa,” he said in an empty voice. “I should have tried harder.”
“You would have helped if you could.”
“I wish it were me instead of him…whether he lives or dies.”
My hands gripped each other as the pain rushed through me. I looked down at my fingers, forcing myself to keep it together. “What’s happening now?” If I didn’t change the subject, I would break down.
“My father has become King of the Kingdoms. In return for their liberation, he will rule them. Their lives will resume as they did before, but sacrifices will need to be made, an eternal gratitude for what we’ve done here.”
“The humans shouldn’t be ruled by a vampire…”
“I agree. But I don’t care enough to stop him. No one does.”
Kingsnake would care…if he could care.
32
KINGSNAKE
