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“Please, ask if he’s willing to come in. How long do I have to stay here?” Everything was a mess. Bree was still missing, Faron was critically injured, and Bran was hurt. “Nothing’s going right,” I added, turning to Grams.
“Hold strong, my dear. When things are bad, you must hold on to that inner core of strength.” Grams gazed at me, and I could feel her pain below the surface. She was as worried as I was, but she was holding it together so I could lean on her.
“I so wish I could be like you,” I said. “Strong enough to face bad news without breaking down.”
“Sometimes, you need a shoulder, my dear. And I am your shoulder. You’re exhausted, in pain, and suffering the aftereffects of a bad concussion. But fate doesn’t play favorites, and she doesn’t excuse anyone from her blows, or her wins.” Grams held out her hand again and I took it, squeezing tightly.
“I’ll have one of the aides talk to Kyle Collinsworth,” the doctor said. “We’re inducing the coma now—and to ease your mind, several doctors, including me, concurred that this is Faron’s best chance of survival.”
“All right. How long am I in here for?”
“We want to hold you for a few hours to make certain the concussion isn’t worse than we think before we send you home. You’ll need to rest up for a few days, but you should be all right.” The doctor turned to the nurse. “I’ll check back on six o’clock rounds.”
As he left, the aide returned with Kyle. The wolf shifter looked uncomfortable and somber, but that was understandable, given the circumstances. I motioned him over to the bed.
“Kyle, right?”
“Yes, Ms. MacPherson. I’m so sorry this happened?—”
“Call me Elphyra. I’m sorry Faron got caught in the middle.” I tried to hold the tears back, but one slipped out and down my cheek. “I wish we’d waited for backup. Our plan went horribly wrong.”
“How are you feeling?” Kyle had the same caring look as his brother, though it felt less personal and more polite.
“Rough. Bran was hurt, too.” I wasn’t sure what to say now that Kyle was here. “What will happen till Faron’s brought out of the coma?”
“I’ll be acting King. Then, we’ll wait and see. If he isn’t healed up in six months, I’ll be instated as the actual King. Can you tell me more about what happened? They’re not equipped with anything but the medical side here.”
“Sit down,” Grams said, standing and offering her chair. “I think I’ll go get myself some coffee.” She headed out of the room before I could protest.
Kyle drew the chair near to the bed and sat down. “Please, tell me what was going on.”
I told him the whole story, how Faron was helping Bree, that we were after a stalker who had still managed to kidnap her, that I was worried sick about my best friend.
“I’ll do what I can to help,” Kyle said. “I don’t want Faron’s sacrifice to go in vain, and in our commune, we don’t allow mistreatment of women or children.” He paused, then said, “Are you my brother’s girlfriend?”
I hesitated. “I don’t know how to answer that. Faron and I are involved, but…I don’t knowwhatwe are yet. We started out as adversaries, but…sometimes a spark turns into a blaze and becomes passion instead of ire.” I blushed. “Maybe that’s TMI but…”
“No, it gives me an idea of what you mean to him. And what he means to you. I’m sorry, you must be worried sick.” Kyle, the bee-man, reached out to take my hand. “Don’t worry, he’ll be all right. Hehasto be okay.”
“I hope so,” I said. “I can’t take another loss like…” I met his gaze as he waited. “I lost my fiancé last year. I can’t take another heartbreak.”
And all Kyle could do, was nod.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
It wasearly morning and Grams and I were sitting in the back of a town car. I wasn’t sure where she’d rustled one up so quickly, but we were on the way home. There was no word from Bran yet, no word from Daisy, and now Faron rested in the depths of his subconscious, unaware of the time passing by around him.
Grams said nothing, just held my hand as the dark car passed through the glimmering rays of dawn. The sun was waking up, the world was beginning its routine again, and I felt totally out of synch with everything around me.
We arrived home and Grams helped me into the house. She shut the door behind her and deposited me on the sofa. Fancypants had curled up asleep on the rocking chair and he woke, flying over to sit on the back of the sofa.
“May’s asleep in the guest room,” he said. “She spent a long time playing with the kittens. You look like you’ve been through a couple rounds in the ring.”
“I feel like it,” I said. I was still exhausted, but the hydration and pain meds had gone a long way to making me feel normal. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “But I want real food, not hospital fare. Leftovers would be fine, if we have any,” I added.
Grams vanished into the kitchen without a word. Fancypants snuggled in by my side. “Tell me what happened?”
Once again, I repeated the events of the night. By the time I finished, Grams was back with a mug of chicken noodle soup and a couple pieces of toast. After I ate, I realized I was slipping back on the cushions, and once again, I was out like a light.
