Page 15 of Found In Destruction

I used the little magic I had left to pull us out of her psyche. As soon as I came to, I fought the overwhelming exhaustion that kept my eyes closed. I was still laying in bed next to Diana, but I wasn’t holding her hand anymore. She sat up in bed, glaring at me.

“Are you okay?” I knew she’d be mad, but I had to ask.

“I’ll be much better when you’re out of my bed and I don’t have to see anyone.” She scanned the room before she shouted, “Out! Everyone get out!’

Steam billowed from Diana’s ears and her face turned red.

“Diana we need to—” Lucifer was cut off, rendered mute, as was I. Everyone in the room opened and closed their mouths like fish out of water, trying to talk to her. Mal smiled at all of us like the cat that got the cream.Of course she didn’t mute him…

“Do you want me to leave, princess?” Mal asked as he took her hand, his voice smooth and calm.

“No, but please teleport them all out. I want to be alone.”

“Done.”

Desmond, Ares, Az, and I materialized into our barrack. I couldn’t believe that shit turned on us like that.

Hey, don’t worry. I’m going to stay with her tonight to make sure she’s okay. Hopefully she’ll want to talk in the morning,Mal mindlinked me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Diana’s psyche was proof as to how not okay she was. She needed someone to stay with her so she could adjust. I reminded myself that he wasn’t a traitor—he was supporting her. Even if that meant helping her get space from the rest of us. Desmond brought me into a fierce hug, giving me a good squeeze. He motioned for our attention.

“Bash, how bad was it? I can feel your concern and anxiety like a brick to the face.” Desmond’s face scrunched at his own analogy.

“There was nothing. Pitch black…darkness. I’ve never seen something like that before. She didn’t want to leave and told me she would never forgive us…”

“But she has to!” Ares shouted, a tear streaming down his face. “I won’t lose her. None of us will.”

Az shrugged as he sat on the couch. He fiddled with his hands, eyes downcast. “We can’t force her to take us back, no matter how badly we need her.” The sadness that clung to his words cast a somber scene over the room.

He was right. No one could make Diana do anything.

Ares sat next to him and crushed him in a fierce hug. A hint of a smile crossed his face, and I realized I hadn’t seen him smile in ages. I barely even recognized him, honestly. I had been too angry and volatile these past few months to truly see him at all.

“Bringing her back was only half the battle. Now the real work begins, gentlemen,” Desmond announced. “We need to work together to prove ourselves worthy of her forgiveness.”

“Yeah, and that means getting right with each other first.” Ares pierced me with a glare, then swung his gaze to Az.

I took a few moments to work myself up to apologize. It wasn’t that I didn’t think I was wrong. I just hated emotions and feelings. They made me uncomfortable.

“I’m going to bed,” Az said as he rose from his seat. “In the morning we’ll get Mal and think of some ways to fix everything. Good night.”

Before I could ask him to stay, he faded out to his room and closed the door behind him.

7

DIANA

Ifelt a warmth spread through me, from my head all the way to my fingers and toes. It seeped into all my soul’s nooks and crannies, like glue keeping a million broken pieces together. And that’s what I was, a bunch of busted pieces trying to stay together.

The strange feeling made me almost forget that I was home, in my own time, surrounded by men I wanted nothing to do with. Who hurt me so badly that I felt like escaping them was the only way I could cope. No matter what I did, escaping them was useless. They somehow traveled back in time to find me.

My eyes opened to a dark room, with some light streaming in from the hallway. A thin, pale man came into focus. A stranger. My magic acted before I could even form a coherent thought, erecting a shield that blasted the man from my bedside, into the wall. I shot up from my prone position and watched as he cowered into a plaster covered, shaking ball.

“Diana,” Mal firmly got my attention, then held my hand. “This is Bennett, one of Judas’ healers. He’s doing a scan to make sure your body is stabilizing. We were having issues waking you up and wanted to make sure you were okay.”

For fuck’s sake, I just assaulted someone.

“I am so sorry, Bennett. It was a knee jerk reaction. I couldn’t control my magic.”

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