Page 72 of Sanctuary

“An offer,” I replied, tucking the card into my pocket. “One we should consider carefully.”

She nodded, understanding the implications without needing details. “We should go to the hospital. Be with the others.”

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her against me as we watched the remains of the house collapse in on itself, sending a shower of embers into the night sky.

“Yes,” I agreed. “Family comes first.”

∞∞∞

Three days later, I stood beside Mia at Rory’s bedside in the ICU. Against all odds, he had survived surgery—though the doctors remained cautiously pessimistic about his prognosis. Kat hadn’t left his side, sleeping in the uncomfortable chair by his bed, holding his hand through the long nights.

Declan entered the room, his head bandaged but his steps steady. The doctors had wanted to keep him longer, but he’d insisted on being discharged, unwilling to be separated from Wren any longer.

“Any change?” he asked quietly, his eyes fixed on Rory’s still form.

I shook my head. “Stable, but no improvement.”

Kat stirred in her chair, blinking up at us with red-rimmed eyes. “The doctor was just here,” she said, her voice hoarse from exhaustion. “Said his vitals are stronger this morning.”

“That’s good news,” Declan said, squeezing her shoulder gently.

She nodded, attempting a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I keep talking to him. The nurses say he might be able to hear me, even if he can’t respond yet.”

Wren entered with a tray of coffee cups, distributing them silently. The past days had aged her, worry etching new lines around her eyes. She handed me a cup, then hesitated before offering one to Mia.

“Thank you,” Mia said quietly, accepting the peace offering for what it was.

Wren nodded, then moved to stand beside Declan, his arm automatically encircling her waist. “Any news about the investigation?” she asked.

“It’s being handled,” I replied, exchanging a glance with Mia. “Agent Winters has been... thorough in managing the official story.”

We had accepted CSIS’s offer the day after the attack. The alternative—trying to explain Matheson’s shadow agency, Mia’s past, and the decades-long vendetta against our family—would have been impossible without exposing secrets that could destabilize the government.

“And Lily?” Wren asked, looking at her sister.

Mia’s expression softened. “Safe. The protection detail is still with her, though they’re keeping their distance. She doesn’t know anything yet.”

“Will you tell her?” Kat asked, looking up from Rory’s still form.

“Eventually,” Mia replied, uncertainty clouding her features. “When things are more stable. When I figure out how to explain... everything.”

The room fell silent save for the steady beeping of Rory’s monitors and the soft hiss of the oxygen. We had all lost so much—our home, our sense of security, nearly Rory—but we had survived. Together.

A soft knock at the door interrupted our thoughts. A nurse poked her head in. “I’m sorry, but visiting hours are ending. Only one person can stay overnight.”

“That’s me,” Kat said immediately, her tone leaving no room for argument.

We gathered our things, preparing to leave. As Wren and Declan said their goodbyes to Kat, Mia approached Rory’s bedside. She leaned down, whispering something in his ear that I couldn’t hear. When she straightened, there was a new resolve in her eyes.

Outside in the corridor, Declan pulled me aside. “I’ve been thinking about what comes next,” he said, his voice low. “The estate will take years to rebuild, if we decide to rebuild at all.”

“Where will you and Wren go in the meantime?” I asked.

“The lake house, for now. The one I bought in Pearl Lake,” he replied. “It’s remote, secure, and large enough for all of us while we figure out our next steps.”

“All of us?” Mia asked quietly, her expression guarded yet hopeful.

Declan’s eyes met hers, and something passed between them—not quite forgiveness, but the beginning of understanding. “Yes,” he said finally. “All of us. You’re family now, whether I like it or not.” The corner of his mouth twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile.

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