Page 89 of Elora and the Crow

“Jonah,” Bren said quickly. “He, uh, is home from his business trip.”

“Oh, good,” Cece said, playing along with the lie. “But I want to see her, too.”

“The rules are -”

“Could you do me a favour and make an exception, Gretchen?” A redheaded, curvy woman in scrubs joined Bren. She hugged him tight. “Hi, Bren.”

“Hi, Ava.” He returned her hug, relief washing over his face.

Gretchen studied Ava. “I heard a rumour that you were leaving emergency to work in the ICU. Is that true?”

“Just a rumour. You know I love the chaos of the emergency room too much to leave it,” Ava said.

Gretchen sniffed. “That’s a shame. We could use someone like you up here.”

“I want to see Elora,” Cece said.

Gretchen flapped her hand at her. “Fine, but you have this one to thank for it.” She nodded to Ava, who reached over the desk and squeezed her hand.

“Thank you, Gretchen.”

Cece followed Bren and Ava down the hallway. The redhead smiled at her. “Hi, I’m Ava. I’m a friend of Bren’s.”

“I’m Cece. It’s nice to meet you,” Cece said automatically. Her stomach was in a knot so tight, a sailor would be proud, and she couldn’t stop seeing the look on Bren’s face when he said it wasn’t good.

Bren stopped outside of a room, and Ava gave him another hug. “Text me if you need anything, okay? I’m just downstairs.”

“Yes. Thank you, Ava,” Bren said.

“You’re welcome, honey.” She kissed his cheek before walking away.

Cece pushed past Bren and into the room. She sucked in a breath when she saw Elora lying in the hospital bed. She was hooked up to a bunch of machines that beeped and whirred and flashed numbers on their screens, and her face was as pale as Cece’s white feather hosta plant.

Jonah sat beside her bed, his left arm in a sling and his right hand holding Elora’s. He looked nearly as pale and sick as Elora did.

“What happened?” Cece sank into the chair on the other side of the bed and touched Elora’s arm.

“The witch,” Jonah said hoarsely. “The one who trapped me as a crow. She showed up at my house tonight, and she… she hurt Elora and kidnapped my brother.”

“Oh God,” Cece said. “What did she do to Elora?”

“We don’t know exactly,” Bren said. “But she’s in a coma and her…”

“What?” Cece stared at Bren, who swallowed compulsively. “Her what, Bren?”

“Her organs are failing,” Bren said. “All of them.”

“What do you mean her… oh my God,” Cece said as the hot tears dripped down her cheeks. “She’s dying.”

“Yes,” Bren said.

Cece fumbled for her phone. “I have to text Charissa. She can make a potion to heal her.”

“She’s already been here,” Bren said. “She gave me her three most powerful healing potions, and Jonah and I poured them down Elora’s throat. None of them worked.”

Cece stared silently at him before standing. “No, they have to work. She’s… she’s really good at making healing potions. She’s the best in the city, and if hers won’t work, then...”

Jonah smoothed Elora’s hair back from her face as Cece turned to Bren. “She can’t die. I won’t let her die! There has to be something we can do.”

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