Page 82 of Devil's Queen

The word is a ragged whisper that sounds foreign to my ears. Rem hurries to my side, her steps quick and determined. Her face is a canvas of injuries, raw and painful. Angry red lines etch across her skin, contorted into bruises that mar her once flawless complexion. Despite the pain etched in her features, her eyes hold a fierce determination that gives me hope.

“You’re awake,” she says, a mixture of relief and worry in her tone. “You had us all scared there for a moment.”

“Me too.” I chuckle. The attempt to lighten the mood causes me to cough, my throat burning with it. “How long have I been out?”

“Eight days.”

Eight days? It couldn’t be. Time seems to blur and distort in my mind, making it difficult to trust my own perception. Part of me wants to believe it was only hours, but the reality of eight days lingering behind those words fills me with unease and uncertainty. How could I have lost so much time without even realizing it?

“You’ve been in an induced coma. They took you off the sedation this morning.”

I absorb this information, struggling to grasp the severity of the situation. “How… how bad is it?”

Rem’s gaze softens, filled with both compassion and sadness. “You’ve sustained some injuries… two punctured lungs, an abdominal hemorrhage and perforation, a concussion along with a few fractured ribs and second and third-degree burns.”

“That it?” I mention, trying to break the tension and seriousness of my injuries with humor. Rem’s frown lets me know she didn’t find it nearly as funny as I did. “The kids?”

“They’re fine. Mama too. They released her a few days ago. They’ve been worried sick about you, but I assured them you were going to pull through.” Rem reaches down to the edge of the hospital bed and retrieves a familiar pink elephant. Birdie sent Jellybean for you.”

Rem gently places the toy near my hand. I take it, feeling its softness and familiarity. Jellybean was always Birdie’s favorite companion, a source of comfort and solace in times of distress. For her to send it to the hospital makes me realize how close I was to losing my life and family.

“Tell Birdie that I love her,” I say, my voice filled with emotion.

Rem nods, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I will. But you’ll have plenty of time to tell her yourself. I’m going to bring them to see you once they move you out of intensive care.”

A lingering question rises to the forefront of my mind. One that I hesitate to ask.

“Wolff?”

Rem steps closer, lowering her voice. “Dead.” She pulls away, nodding to confirm her answer. “The fire department found his remains in the rubble. DNA and dental records confirmed his identity. They ruled it an accident.”

“Good.” With Wolff gone, the threat to my family is over. Rem can finally know peace in this world. That’s all I ever wanted for her.

“Come here.”

I release Jellybean and reach out my hand for hers, the lines of the IV getting in the way. I shake them, frustrated that they’re blocking me from getting to my girl.

“Here, let me help.” With expert gentleness, Rem shifts the tangled lines away from my hand before settling hers into mine. The softness of her skin is the best thing I’ve felt since the world went dark around me. Tears stream down her pretty face.

“I almost lost you.” She sobs.

“You got me out,” I remind her. “You saved my life, Rem,” I whisper, my voice filled with gratitude and love. “I wouldn’t be here without you.”

Her grip on my hand tightens, her fingers digging into my skin until it stings. She pulls it up and presses it against her face. I can feel the ridges of the healing cuts on her face while her tears stream down like rain from a dark sky. “I couldn’t bear to let you go.” She sobs, her voice breaking with raw emotion. “I have so much to confess and apologize for. I stole precious moments with Beaux from you, but abandoning you was never an option. He needs you, and I do too.”

I squeeze her hand, feeling the weight of her words sink into my heart. The past is a heavy burden that we both carry, but in this moment, it feels as though we have shed some of that weight. The love and forgiveness that pass between us is palpable, filling the sterile hospital room with an undeniable warmth.

“I forgave you a long time ago.”

Rem’s tears continue to flow, but they are no longer tears of despair. They are tears of relief and hope. Hope for a future where we can heal together, our wounds can mend, and our hearts can find solace.

“I promise to make things right,” she whispers through her tears. “For you, for Birdie, and for our family.”

“I love you, Rem.”

“I love you too. More than words can express.” Her voice quivers with emotion as she leans in and brushes her lips against mine. It’s a delicate gesture filled with tenderness and reassurance, a promise that we’ll face whatever lies ahead together.

As we pull away, I catch a glimpse of our reflection in the window opposite the hospital bed. The sight takes me by surprise. A man stares back at me—an older version of the person I once was. The lines etched on my face tell tales of pain and survival, but they also hold traces of gratitude and resilience.

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