Page 192 of Cherish

Followed by Flint’s equally succinct “fuck that.”

Eden, Heather, Macy, and Remy have a lot more to say—all of it at the same time—and I can’t help it. Tears well in my eyes, threatening to spill over, as I stare at all of my friends. My found family.

Despite everything, I really couldn’t be luckier.

Eden fist-bumps Heather. “All for one…”

“Damn straight,” Heather says, turning to fist-bump Macy, too.

“Now that that’s settled—do you think he will be okay to make the trip?” Hudson asks as Mekhi starts to wake up—which is a good sign. He’s not deadyet. There is still hope, however thin it is.

“I think he’s got to be,” I say at the same time Lorelei nods.

“He’s very, very weak, but there’s still a little time. I hope.” As if on cue, Mekhi groans before settling back down into sleep. “Though, if my mother refuses to heal him, I’m not sure he’ll be making a return trip.”

Her voice breaks a little on the last word, and for the first time I start to wonder if there’s something more going on between her and Mekhi than just plain friendship. I’d noticed back in the Curator’s office that she’d never left Mekhi’s side on the little TV screen.

“Remy and I need to get going,” Macy says. “So if you want me to open the portal at the fountain for you, it needs to be now.”

“Of course. We’ll be ready in just a second.” I turn to Lorelei. “We need to take Mekhi with us.”

She sighs for what seems like forever but eventually nods, then leans down to lay her hand on his chest. “Mekhi,” she croons softly. “Can you wake up, Mekhi?”

When he hears her voice, his eyes flutter open. A half smile lifts one corner of his lips, his voice weak and hoarse but full of affection. “Hey, Lori.”

Hudson and I exchange a look but say nothing.

“Hey, you,” I tell him after giving them a few seconds of privacy—or as much privacy as I can manage in a room crowded with people. “You ready to go fix this poison problem once and for all?”

He starts to laugh, but it turns to a cough pretty quickly—one that has him loudly sucking air into his lungs.

Lorelei bites her lip in an attempt to stifle a cry.

“I’m okay,” he tells her, but even he sounds like he knows it’s a lie.

“You will be very soon,” Jaxon says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Can I help you up?”

Mekhi nods. “Thanks, man.” He looks at the rest of us, his dark eyes clear for the first time in what feels like ages. “Thank you all. For everything—”

“Let’s wait and make sure the plan works,” Eden tells him in a deliberately light voice. “Don’t waste your gratitude if we end up screwing everything up.”

He laughs again, though it’s a short-lived sound as the pain takes over, making him wheeze and cough.

“Come on. Let’s get going.” Hudson steps forward to help Jaxon get Mekhi up and steadied. Not that Jaxon couldn’t do it on his own, but I think my mate needs to do something to keep from feeling so helpless right now.

I recognize it because I’m feeling exactly the same way.

Mekhi says goodbye to Lorelei—who, after everything we’ve done so far, still can’t cross the barrier—while the rest of us pretend to be anywhere but in the room with them, and then we head out.

It takes a little bit of effort—mostly on Jaxon’s and Hudson’s part—but we get Mekhi through the Witch Court and out to the Piazza Castello in pretty quick order.

“You feel up to this?” Macy asks as we cross the street to the statue in the middle of the piazza.

“Not even close,” Mekhi answers honestly. “But let’s do it anyway.”

She smiles. “You’re my kind of guy.”

While everyone else stops on the grass surrounding the fountain, Macy steps forward. I walk with her and say, “I’m worried about getting Mekhi through the Shadow Realm. Even if he makes it through the portal all right, he can’t afford to wander around with us trying to find the damn Shadow Fortress.”

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