Chapter 69
ROME
The fighting continued, and Adria tried to press into Eric’s wound with as much weight as she could manage. Elena ripped her shirt, handing Adria some fabric.
The sounds of chaos rang out for a few more minutes before the Nine regrouped. Alessandro lay dead in a pool of blood and Callen had surrendered under Diarmuid’s feet. As expected, Cahill aligned himself with the greater numbers.
When things had settled, Adria looked around, startled that she didn’t see Bryson, Seth, or Kaydon.
“Helen, I need your help,” she called.
Helen appeared at her side. “What do you need?”
“Something to stop the bleeding.”
Helen nodded.
“And I need to know where Bryson is.”
“Dead,” Callen said from across the room.
Adria shook her head. “No, he isn’t.”
“Shot him myself,” Callen replied, motioning toward the pool. “He’s where he belongs, floating with the traitors.”
Adria barely heard him. She was already running to the pool’s edge, diving into the dark deep waters.
The pool bit colder than she remembered, every fiber of her being urging her to go back. But Adria pressed on, gliding downward into the darkness, the pool swallowing her. Swimming deeper, Adria strained for any movement, any sensation that would lead her to them.
Somewhere beyond the murk, she felt eyes—cold, dead eyes—tracking her descent. She swallowed hard. They would have to understand.
A shapeless blur drifted past, and she brushed the side of Kaydon’s leg.
She saw the vague outline of Bryson trying to drag Seth towards the surface. Her arms wrapped around Seth, she kicked with them, but Seth didn’t move.
Bryson was struggling, and Adria pointed to the surface, but Bryson refused.
Adria traced the rough braid of rope tied around Seth’s ankles. It was jammed between two jagged rocks.
She tugged with every ounce of strength, lungs screaming, but the rope didn’t move.
She tried again. Nothing.
Suddenly Kaydon pressed a breath into her lungs before grasping the rope himself. Together they heaved, with Bryson still supporting Seth. Inch by inch, they loosened the snare until at last the bonds broke free. The four of them surged upward in a frantic, synchronized pull.
They burst through the surface in a shower of coughs. Adria gasped, half-clinging to the pool’s edge.
It was then that she noticed that Seth wasn’t coughing.
His head lulled to one side, and Adria pressed her back to the edge of the pool, clinging to him.
“Bryson,” she screamed.
He was there with Kaydon, pulling Seth out of the water. Adria followed, kneeling at Seth’s side. She moved without thinking, pushing the heel of her palm into the center of Seth’s ribcage.
Her hands pressed down on Seth’s lifeless form, pumping up and down. Kaydon knelt next to Seth’s head, tilting his pale face and breathing into him.
Water trickled off her hair and onto her face and eyes, but Adria didn’t slow her pace.
His normally pink lips were so pale.
Adria pressed harder.
The world blurred around her. Everything happening narrowing to the agony in her muscles, the thump of her heartbeat, and the sounds of Seth’s ribs caving around her hands. Adria concentrated on maintaining rhythm.
Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen….
She counted to thirty and then started again.
When Kaydon gave Seth a few more rescue breaths, Adria felt Bryson’s hand on her shoulder. “Let me.”
She moved, letting Bryson use fresh arms.
Kaydon continued to breathe into Seth’s mouth.
Seth was soaking wet, clothes clinging to his small frame. Adria found herself leaning in to whisper in his ear.
“You can’t die. Not yet. I haven’t got a chance to punish you for leaving,” her voice cracked.
Bryson kept pushing on his chest, and Adria saw Seth pale further, his freckles now a sharp feature on his face.
Fuck. Fuck…
“Seth, wake up,” she said.
Kaydon sat back on his heels, tears in his eyes.
Adria could see the defeat on his face.
“Fuck you, don’t do that,” she said, pushing herself forward, breathing into Seth’s body. Forcing life into his lungs.
Bryson kept going, and Adria could feel Seth rocking with every thrust, but nothing was changing.
After a few more minutes, Bryson stopped.
Adria glanced over at him and saw he was shaking, tears streaming down his face. She moved, pressing her hands into Seth’s chest. She pressed and pressed until her arms burned.
She willed her body to keep going but her muscles started to go limp.
“SETH,” she screamed.
Arms wrapped around her, and she struggled to stay with him.
It was like her mother’s funeral all over again.
“Stop, let me go—let me,” she cried.
“Adria, he’s gone,” Eric said in her ear.
She wanted to hit him, to push him away, but his grip held her still.
She thought about the waters, how the four of them had found each other even in the dark.
Through impossible odds, they had helped each other to the surface.
Not as individuals but together they had fought. And God, she knew she didn’t deserve them, but fuck.
She thought of that little priest. “Like most good things, it just took a little faith and time.”
And she had faith that Seth didn’t deserve to die today.
He needed more time.
They needed more time.
When she jumped into that pool all those years ago, Adria had emerged from those waters with a vow never to lose control.
Control kept her safe. Control kept her alive.
But in these last few weeks, Adria realized she didn’t want control. She wanted love.
And control and love didn’t mix.
So, for the first time in her life, Adria let go.
Really let go.
Her body went limp in Eric’s arms.
If Seth died, she would spend the rest of her life living with Bryson and Kaydon. She would learn with them. Live with them, grow with them.
Live the life that Eric kept talking about.
But God, if Seth lived, she would do all those things, but the world would have one more brilliant spark in the dark.
Adria leaned into Eric’s chest and cried.
She felt Bryson come closer to her and Kaydon grab her hand.
“I’m sorry,” was all she could manage to say before breaking down to a complete pile of sobs.
She felt the warmth of the men around her. Felt the certainty that they had each other.
Then, through the pressure and heartbreak, a raspy cough split the air. Adria jerked upright, vision swimming with relief and disbelief.
Seth’s chest heaved. His dark lashes fluttering open.
He was alive.