Page 75 of Halfblood Deceived

“We can’t just inject her every time,” said a familiar feminine voice from behind Zeydan.

He jolted, turning to see Mari and everyone else peering from the open door. Andreas was holding a too-pale, Luce. Lex and Evan both had an arm around a teary Gabby’s shoulders. Mari’s half-pained, half-enraged expression reflected the turmoil twisting Zeydan’s stomach.

Idly, he noticed everyone was dressed differently and that the last rays of pink sunlight cast illumination on the room through the open French doors. Which meant he and Aella had slept for almost a full day.

“We need to create a potion to stabilize her mood during the day, and another so she can have a nightmare-free sleep,” Kamilla said, meeting Mari’s gaze. “I am familiar with gargoyle biology, so it’s best if we work together.”

Mari nodded. “We should inject her every eight hours for now. She has definitely upset her inner scarring and needs to sleep to recover. That’s how it works for gargoyles.”

“Won’t that make the nightmares worse?” Zeydan asked.

“No,” Kamilla answered. “The sleeping potion I used won’t allow her to dream at all.”

“Isn’t that unhealthy?” Luce asked. “Don’t we all need to dream?”

The eyes of every adult were on her.

“We do indeed, Luce,” Kerian answered. “It could be problematic in the long term, but Aella has suffered constant psychological trauma for too long. She needs time to heal.”

Zeydan felt as if he had a rock stuck in his throat. There was something haunted in Kerian’s eyes. And considering Kerian had lived almost thrice what Zeydan had, it was outright disturbing that he had such a reaction to whatever he saw in Aella’s mind.

Heavy silence, charged with horror, spread for a few minutes among all of them.

Kamilla clapped her hands, making them all jolt. “Very well. Aylana, please stay with me to help me make Aella more comfortable.” Aylana nodded. Kamilla met Mari’s gaze. “You are welcome to familiarize yourself with my lab. We have a lot of work to do.” Mari took a deep breath and dipped her chin. Kamilla swiped a stern glance at the rest of the onlookers. “I know every single one of you busybodies means well, but Aella needs privacy and rest, so go back to whatever you were doing and don’t hover.”

All but Kerian and Zeydan obeyed Kamilla.

Sebastian patted Zeydan’s shoulder on his way out.

Kamilla approached her brother, searching his eyes. Silently, she pressed her forehead against his. Kerian sighed, and half hugged his sister. They had a silent conversation with their eyes for a minute, and then Kamilla kissed Kerian’s cheek and ushered him toward the door.

Kerian approached Zeydan, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “You are coming with me.”

“Why?” Zeydan asked, hearing the hollowness in his voice.

“Because you look like you’re about to puke or go on a murderous rampage, and I know just the cure,” Kerian advised, steering Zeydan toward the door.

“But what if Kamilla needs us?” Zeydan protested.

Kamilla gave him one of her signature stern looks. “We’ll keep Aella unconscious for at least a day. There is nothing you can do aside from watching her breathe, and I am certain that would make her uncomfortable.”

Zeydan wanted to argue that Kamilla didn’t know that, but considering he and Aella didn’t know each other all that well…

“You and Kerian both need a distraction,” Kamilla said. “And you won’t be helping Aella if you are hovering around, distracting me.”

Knowing his cousin was right, Zeydan reluctantly nodded and let Kerian guide him out. He gave a final look at Aella over his shoulder before Kamilla closed the door on his nose.

CHAPTER 18

Kerian’s cure for Zeydan’s murderous thoughts was giving him control of an expensive, hydrogen-powered sports car. And make him race against Sebastian on their way to Darkwood’s urban area.

Zeydan had to admit it was a great distraction.

There was a long stretch of lonely, mostly paved road they could use as a private race track. The sight was arresting—the last light blue and orange colors fading in the sky, and the forest on each side of the road looked like a painting.

Zeydan cursed as Sebastian sped past him in a black convertible. The smug bastard grinned and winked at him through his rearview mirror.

“Have you ever driven a sports car before?” Kerian asked with a lazy smile, as if he weren’t losing the race as well.

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