Page 104 of Impossible

“He’s in the bond, Hollis. Listen.”

Indie hurt. Indie scared. I hurt Indie. I scared Indie.

Hollis. A black cloud rolling through the bond. Pulsing purple lightning flashes. Thunder deafens. I reach, desperate for Joshua. I’m choking, drowning, blind.

“Please,” I gasp.

Indie’s fear is acrid and sharp. Her words are lances. I barely feel them, but they run Joshua through. He crumples.

I’m on my feet. I have to go. I have to go to him. To her. To them.

The black cloud thickens. “No.”

It solidifies around me. I am frozen, locked in a nightmare. Attacked from all sides.

Hurt kill stab slice little alpha, do it, cut off your finger, hit yourself, go on now, just a slap—

“Hollis!” Leon’s yell is miles away.

I’m on my knees. My hands are on my ears. It only traps the orders inside.

Then, BAM. Flattened. Voices smothered.I’msmothered.

“Hey, shh, right here, right here Risk.” Leon’s voice. On me, in me, everywhere.

The black cloud dissipates. Hollis is waves of shame lapping on Leon’s shore. I am shipwrecked. Water in my lungs. Drowning on dry land. JoshuaJoshua Joshua JOSHUA.

“He’s ok.” Leon, louder, bigger. “Shh, feel him, Risk. Feel him.”

I cringe. The storm is gone, but the bond isn’t safe. Not like it was. But Joshua.Joshua.

I reach. I feel him.

He’s driving. He is ok. He sends me ok. They’re all ok. Except her. And me.

Shut up stupidstupidstupidstupidnotaboutyou.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“It’s ok,” Leon says.

No it isn’t, Hollis thinks. Ouch.

Indie’s face, pale, anguished, angry, scared. Ouch.

Leon’s anger. At Hollis, not me. I try to suck it away. I deserve it.Don’t fight.

I realize Leon is lying on top of me. I am a Risk sandwich.

Hollis roils. I ache. I need a pill, I need to run, I need to slice this feeling from my heart.

“No,” Leon murmurs. He hears me.

I throw up static. He smushes harder. “Risk.”

His voice is soft. I hate it I hate it I hate it I hate it.

“Don’t.” Leon’s voice is harder now. For Hollis.

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