Page 13 of Ashes

Ashes moved to stand beside me.

“Are they giving her anything for this?” he asked, his voice shaking. “What’s the prognosis? It’s been three days.”

“Doctor Conrad and Headmaster Ass Nut have been speaking to my mother and my stepdad about some treatment options. I’m hoping my mom turns them down and just brings her home with us. So far, that’s the plan.” Cady stood at Church’s side, her gaze darting around the three of us with uncertainty. “Is it true? Was she getting better?”

“She was,” Church murmured.

Ashes nodded.

Cady looked at me. “What happened to your hands?”

“I almost fell,” I said, clearing my throat.

Ashes gave me a gentle smile as I stared at angel. I hated seeing her like this.

“Angel, it’s Stitches,” I called out. “Ashes and Church are here. So is your sister. Come back, OK? Sin will hopefully be here soon—”

Her body twitched. Church looked at me, his eyes wide as Cady perched on the edge of the mattress.

“Rina? Hey,” Cady said. “You there?”

“Sin should be here soon. He-he misses you too,” Ashes said thickly.

Angel blinked rapidly and let out a deep breath before she parted her lips. The sweetest, softest sound left her mouth, albeit raspy and shaky.“Sinful.”

Cady’s eyes widened as she stared at her, her body frozen.

“Specter?” Church called out gently. “Hey, come on now. We can get Sin here really quickly if you want to see him. I already texted him.”

I didn’t want to release her hand to send that prick a message, but Ashes wasted no time in doing it, his thumbs flying over his phone screen.

“Sin is sorry he’s not here,” I added, not knowing if it was true or not.

“Sinful,” she whispered. “Sinful.”

Maybe she knew what a prick he was too. I knew he scared her. I’d been witness to her shaky body whenever he was near.

“Asylum,” she whispered again, her voice cracking.

“You want Asylum?” Ashes asked tightly.

“Not fucking happening,” Church said with a snarl.

“I haven’t seen him yet,” Cady said, shifting forward. “Rina? Hey. Can you look at me?”

Angel acted like she didn’t hear her. Her plump lips continued to move like she was talking, only no words came out.

Then she started softly humming the same tune she’d been humming in the mausoleum when we’d rescued her.

Cady’s face crumpled.

“What is it?” Church demanded, snapping his attention to her.

“That song. I-I haven’t heard it in years. She and Seth… They made it up when they were kids. He’d hum it, and she’d sing it. I-I think she wants Seth.”

I peeked at Church. A muscle thrummed along his jaw as his Adam’s apple bobbed.

I knew what he was thinking.

---