Page 80 of The Storm of the Empire

“Why?”

“Just come.”

Nyx and I exchanged a glance and then we ran to the hospital wing. Nyx lead and none of us could keep up with him.

By the time we got there, the healers were already working on someone in one of the emergency rooms. Kiera stood outside the door and jogged to us as we approached.

“We can’t go in. There’s Dragon’s Bane. They are decontaminating now.”

“Who is it?” Nyx asked, concern written in the lines on his tired face.

Kiera looked at the ground wringing her hands. I didn’t know what she was steeling herself for, but an ugly dread settled in the pit of my stomach. She gathered her courage and looked up into his eyes. “We think it’s Kol.”

A collective gasp went up.

Nyx fell to his knees. “Don’t play with my emotions.”

Both Kiera and Zaria knelt to support him.

“Do you really believe it’s him?”

“Yes.” Kiera’s voice was hollow.

Nyx made a gut-wrenching, strangled sound.

Kiera took Nyx’s face in her hands and made him look at her. “As soon as it’s safe to be in there, I will do all that I can.”

“H—how?” Nyx croaked.

Kiera shook her head. “We don’t know any details yet. Luka and Faolan brought him in. They are being decontaminated as we speak, and then we can find out what in the Goddess’ name is going on. But he’s in good hands.”

Zaria wrapped Nyx in her arms then and held him until Luka and Faolan emerged from a room across the hall, looking washed but tired.

I rushed to Luka. All my earlier conflict over trusting him vanished at the relief I felt seeing him safe. He wrapped me in a hug, and we held each other while around us, the entire spectrum of fae emotions played out. Relief, joy, fear.

Jaxus pulled Faolan into a tight hug, muttering words of fond greeting, and Nyx wept into Zaria’s shoulder.

When Jaxus let Faolan go, he turned to Luka. “Is it really Kol?”

Luka lifted his shoulders. “Sure looks like Nyx, but I never knew him.”

The wait was agonizing, but not even Kiera could go in until it was declared safe from Dragon’s Bane. When her father finally came from the room, removing a mask and protective robe, he looked solemn. He tossed the garments in a bin beside the door and cleared his throat.

“We have performed the decontamination, but the Dragon’s Bane exposure was intense. There may still be levels in his system that pose a threat to all of you, so I must insist on you wearing masks and robes, but you can see him briefly.”

He only got through half of his sentence before Nyx was up and bursting through the door. No one would keep him out, and Kiera’s father didn’t even try.

We all followed, rules be damned. This could be our prayers answered.

I longed to see Kol’s cheeky version of Nyx’s stern face again, but there were too many fae working around him, so I stood back, finding myself next to Luka while Nyx, Zaria, and Kiera shoved their way to the front.

A harrowing cry came from Nyx, radiating through my bones. The pain in his voice told me all I needed to know. My heart hammered so hard, I was sure it was trying to break out of my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes again.

“Jaxus!” Zaria called. “We need you.”

Jaxus looked confused, but a path cleared for him to get to Kol’s bedside where Nyx was clutching at the unconscious body of his brother.

“There is still too much Dragon’s Bane in him,” Kiera wheezed. We need all the dragons out of here now. Jaxus, please get Nyx off him before he makes himself just as ill.”

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