5
Tarnley
Beep, beep, beep, beep.
I swear, once this is all over, if I never step foot in another hospital room, I’ll be overjoyed. Hearing the machines steadily monitoring Bronywyn’s vitals on the off chance she begins to wake is the most on edge I’ve ever been.
Give me a fight.
Something to do.
Because this is just pure fucking torture.
The door opens near soundlessly behind me, and Delaney steps into the room.
“No changes,” I tell her.
“I’m so sorry, Tarnley.”
“Not your fault.”
“I know, but I just— I don’t think any of us have truly told you how sorry we are. We want to get her back. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through.”
“Sure, you can. You watched Cole die.”
She falls silent, but before I can apologize for bringing it up, she nods. “That’s true, but there was resolution in it. I knew what to do, or at least, I thought I did. With her, there’s no resolution, no finality. We’re just sitting here, completely and totally helpless.”
“Any movement with the councils?”
She shakes her head. “Cole is camped outside the building, but he hasn’t seen Odette.”
“I’m guessing she doesn’t show herself often.”
“We’ll get her. We’ve yet to fail.”
I don’t bother mentioning how different things are this time compared to everything else we’ve faced because, even though she’s doing what she can to remain neutral, it’s a completely different scenario, and we both know it.
This time, the dark witch isn’t some unknown enemy. It’s the woman I love. My mate. And this time, it’s the council we should be able to count on that wants her dead.
“When was the last time she woke up?” Delaney questions as she takes a seat in the chair beside me.
“Yesterday.”
“Yesterday? Isn’t it a little late?”
“It is.”
“That’s concerning.”
“It is,” I repeat.
“We’ll find a—” Magic slams into Delaney, sending her flying backward into the wall. I’m on my feet before the heavy thud of her body hits the sheetrock. Adrenaline surges through my body as I step between Bronywyn’s bed and Delaney.
The witch lying on the bed before me stares up with soulless black eyes. “Hello, lover, miss me?”
I turn and rush toward the syringes behind me, but I barely make it two steps before crippling power hits the center of my back, and I tumble forward. Black spots invade my vision as my head slams into the stainless-steel countertop.
With a grunt, I roll onto my back just in time to see green magic charge the air, creating a transparent wall between us and the bed. Delaney steps in front of me, eyes wild, hair a mess, blood dripping down the side of her temple.