Page 110 of Devil May Lie

He’d sat down in this chair as soon as Madden came out of surgery and was allowed visitors, but he hadn’t moved from it since.

“Berga,” Baikal patted his shoulder—the one that hadn’t been dislocated in the explosion—and squeezed comfortingly. “Think about what he’d want for you. You’re covered in blood. Do you really think he’d want to wake up and see you like this?”

“Yes,” he said, voice hoarse and weak. “He’s always wanted to see me like this.”

Maybe it would be enough to soothe some of the anger and betrayal Madden had been feeling before the attack. At least so that Berga could better explain. There was so much he needed to tell him, but he couldn’t do any of that if the Mad King kept sleeping. What if he never woke up? What if—

No.

He dug his nails into his palms, hard enough to break skin, but the pain only helped him to focus. No bad thoughts, he couldn’t afford them. Madden needed him to be strong right now. To be present.

Dropping his gaze, he stared at his arms blankly. There was a lot of dried blood, he could see why his friends were concerned. It coated his arms and his hands, probably stained more of him, except the rest of his body was hidden beneath the hospital gown and pants the nurse had forced him into.

“This is real,” he murmured, mostly to himself, but of course the others heard.

“Yeah,” Flix shared a passing look with Baikal then added, “Yeah, it’s real. There’s blood all over you. Do you…” He couldn’t seem to make himself finish asking the question no doubt on everyone’s minds.

Berga took a moment to be sure, but then gave a curt shake of his head. “No.”

“He reacted instinctually out there,” Bay’s voice drifted to him from where the professor stood closer to the door. “The blood didn’t affect him at all.”

“And it’s not starting to now?” Baikal seemed unsure.

“No,” Berga said, more firmly this time. “She isn’t here. I haven’t seen or heard her once since the accident.” He’d been too scared of losing Madden to be bothered by ghosts.

“Accident,” Flix growled.

“That was no accident,” Baikal agreed. “They planted a bomb in your car. If either of you had been inside of it at the time, you would both be dead.”

“It’s honestly a miracle my brother survived at all,” Rebecca chimed in. She brushed tears off her cheeks and cleared her throat before turning toward them. “If he’d been leaning in the doorway even, he wouldn’t be.”

“He heard the mechanism,” Flix said, exhaling when they all seemed surprised by that. “I saw him quickly spin away from the car and reach for Berga just before the explosion. He had to have heard it and reacted.”

“Reached for Berga?” Bay frowned.

“Yeah.” Flix jabbed the toe of his boot against the vinyl flooring. “Protectively. He was trying to shield him.”

Why? Why would he do that?

Flix had to be wrong. The way Madden had looked at him just before…He’d been disgusted by him. Why would anyone risk their own life to save someone they loathed? Perhaps he’d merely been trying to run away.

Yes, that made much more sense.

Madden had tried to avoid the explosion, but it’d been too late.

“That’s why his back…” Rebecca hiccupped and clearly tried to collect herself. “At least he was successful.” She gave a watery smile to Berga. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

“You don’t hate me?” Berga’s brow furrowed.

“Why would I? This isn’t your fault.”

“Yes,” he corrected, “it is.”

“No, it’s that bastard who thought he could do something like this and get away with it.” Anger flashed through her eyes, and she set them on Baikal. “Tell me you got him.”

Baikal nodded. “That’s why Kelevra isn’t here right now. Ives is being handed over to the Retinue as we speak. Since Madden is the one who was severely injured, it’s only fair they are allowed to deal with him however they see fit.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to demand he be the one to handle it, but…Baikal was right. It wasn’t Berga’s place. Not because he wasn’t Retinue, but because Madden wanted nothing more to do with him.

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