Page 131 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

Axel bent forward, his elbows on his knees as he pushed both his hands through his hair before clasping them behind his neck. It wasn’t until movement caught his eye that he realized he stillhad the earbuds in, music still flowing through them. But he hadn’t heard her wake up because of it.

Katya was struggling to get out of bed, a hand clasped over her mouth.

“You shouldn’t stand,” Axel said, tossing the earbuds aside while he rushed to her. “Seriously, Kat. Stay in bed.”

“You don’t want that,” she said in a rush. “Because I’ll be sick all over the bedding.”

“It’s fine. I’ll change it.”

She shook her head, still attempting to get to her feet, and rather than fight her, he took her arm and helped her.

“I’m fine, Axel,” she rasped, trying to shrug him off.

“You’re clearly not fine.”

“I’ve been doing this for a while now. I promise I’ll be fine.”

He knew she didn’t mean it as a verbal jab, but it sure as fuck hit like one. Releasing her arm, he stayed close as she quickly made her way into the bathroom.

“Please don’t follow me in here,” she groaned, dropping to her knees before the toilet.

“Not going to happen,” he answered, pulling her hair back as she retched. Not that there was much to vomit up.

After another round of heaving, she said, “Can you please go get Eliza?”

“Eliza?” he repeated in confusion.

“She’s staying in the room down the hall.”

“I know where she is staying. What I don’t know is why I’m fetching her.”

“She is one of five people who know about this child,” Kat answered, still hovering over the bowl. “I guess six now that you know.”

“But why?—”

“Please, Axel.”

And she sounded so utterly exhausted that he pushed to his feet, not wanting to argue with her.

Moving quickly through the room and down the hall, he stopped outside the door. While he knewofthem, he hadn’t actuallymetEliza and Razik yet. This was going to be more than awkward.

He knocked twice before shoving his hands in his pockets and waiting. He heard the light footsteps a few seconds before the door opened. A female with flowing red-gold hair stood there, her grey eyes narrowing as they looked him up and down.

Leaning her shoulder against the doorframe, she said, “You must be the brother.”

Unsure what to say to that, he rubbed at the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah. Axel. Eliza, right?”

She nodded, crossing her arms. A black Mark stood out on the back of her left hand, tendrils of the Mark winding down three of her fingers. She wore long-sleeves, but another Mark peeked out from the top of her shirt. Source Marks, maybe?

Yeah, so this was definitely awkward.

“Listen, Kat says you know about… She asked me to come get you,” he finally said when the silence stretched on.

She straightened. “Is she all right?”

“She’s vomiting, but?—”

She was already shoving past him, down the hall, and into his room before he’d realized what was happening. Axel followed, the bathroom door shut when he entered the bedroom, and not knowing what else to do, he sat on the edge of the bed.

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