Page 213 of The Valiant Knight
Gryphen knew he was struggling, but this was bad. He was checking out.
The fight had just gotten real.
Graham kept talking.
“Find D’Artangnan Graves. He was a Captain in the Marines. He’s the man I loved and still love. Get the box to him.He’ll understand once he sees it. He’ll know I didn’t make it. Please.”
Gryphen was stalling.
When Ian came back in, he nodded and mouthed one thing.
‘Tony is on the way.’
Well, thank freaking God.
Now, it was about keeping the man alive until help got to him. He had to talk him down. Since he’d brought up a man’s name, he went there.
“Where is he?” he asked. “How do I find D’Artangnan?”
Graham was crying.
“I don’t know. I let him leave, and I’ve never been able to find him. Find him for me, and tell him that I’m sorry. Tell him that he was right. No one would ever love me like he did, and that I couldn’t hold on to see if he’d come back. Tell him I loved him to the very end, and that I regretted letting him go. Tell him that he was my soulmate.”
Gryphen wouldn’t let him die. He’d lost too many soldier friends to suicide. He’d been to too many funerals, and nearly lost the battle himself. The only reasons he was still there were the Blackhawks.
They found him and gave him a purpose.
Now, he had to do the same.
“No. You’re not quitting on me. If I find him, and I have to tell him this, you’ll hurt him. Don’t hurt him too,” he said, going with his gut. “If he hears that, he’ll die inside too. What if he wants to find you too?” he asked.
Graham sniffled.
Gryphen kept going.
“What if he’s out there looking for you, Graham? Have you ever thought about that? Give me some time to find him and talk to him. I’ll go to Elizabeth and Callen, and I’ll get their help. Just give me some time. Let me see if I can locate him. Then, you’ll know what happened to him.”
That didn’t upset him.
In fact, it calmed him down.
Marginally.
A part of him always needed to know what had happened to D’Artangnan. He wanted to make sure he survived the breakup and moved on with his life.
He hadn’t.
If D’Artangnan was fine, then he could let go. It was the last part of this, and all he needed to tell him was that he was sorry.
Then, he’d be free.
“Yes, please,” he said. “Please find him for me.”
Oh, he was still going to leave, but at least he’d stop picturing the man miserable and alone like him. There was always that hope that he would still be out there thinking about him.
Gryphen had bought them some time.
“Okay, Graham. Tony is coming for you, and you’re going to go home andNOTdo anything stupid. If you make me come to your funeral, Graham, it’s going to be rough. Don’t make me do this. I don’t think I can handle it.”
