Chapter 24
24
The next hour was a blur.
I remembered Zayne and Nicolai gently gathering up Abbot’s body and getting him into a large SUV I wasn’t even sure belonged to any of them. I remember climbing in with them, along with Roth. I remembered hearing sirens and seeing flashing blue and red lights as Nicolai navigated the crowded street full of destroyed cars and panicked people.
Then we were at the compound, a place I hadn’t thought I’d ever return to, and there was Geoff and Jasmine and Danika. Each of their faces was marked with shocked horror as Abbot was carried out of the car and into the house.
But it was Morris who killed my heart.
It had been so long since I’d seen him, the Wardens’ man of all work, and I had to stop myself from rushing over to him when he walked out of the kitchen, sadness etched into the deep grooves of his face. When he saw me, he smiled slightly, but it didn’t reach those dark, soulful eyes.
Jasmine—practical, fast-thinking Jasmine—had grabbed a sheet and laid it out on the floor. Abbot had been placed upon it, and Morris had taken hold of the edges, wrapping them around Abbot, forming a death shroud.
Zayne remained by his father’s side, his head bowed, and I remained close by, just in case he needed me. I wasn’t sure if he had need of me or what I could do for him, but I’d do whatever I could. Roth and I were forgotten as the members of the clan drifted in and out of the room.
I learned when Dez phoned in that all the stone creatures had been destroyed and that he and the other Wardens were currently hunting down the wraiths the Lilin had created. From what I heard, they were also trying to do some damage control among the humans. Some of the people on the streets had seen the wraiths, and to them, wraiths would look like stereotypical ghosts…a level of exposure the Wardens didn’t want to risk. Dez was going to have to do a lot of fast talking to convince everyone that hadn’t been what they’d seen. Luckily, those who’d been at the scene hadn’t been able to tell the stone creatures apart from the Wardens.
It was going to be a mess. It was a mess, and only time would tell how bad, but I doubted any of us was really thinking beyond this moment.
“Why don’t you sit down?” Roth asked, his eyes full of concern.
I shook my head as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “I’m okay.”
He looked at me and then to where Zayne was. I could tell Roth wanted to say more, but was forcing himself to stay quiet.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Zayne pulled the remaining folds of the blanket together, covering Abbot’s face.
“Are you ready?” Geoff asked stoically.
Zayne pressed his hands into his thighs and stood. “Yes.”
Nicolai stepped forward and the men lifted Abbot’s body, carrying him out of the room. My heart started to pound and I knew they were going to take him somewhere more private, to prepare his body, to clean him up as best they could.
Wardens—when they died, their bodies did what any human body would do, but the process was faster for them. Within a day, there would be nothing really left beyond bones. That was why they burned their dead.
Hours had passed by the time Dez and the rest of the clan returned, and even though my legs, my entire body felt numb, I was there when Abbot was lifted up the hastily made pyre and I was there when Zayne carefully placed a lit torch at the feet of his fallen father. I was there to see Nicolai place his arm around Danika’s shoulders.
I was there when nothing but ash remained.
When it was all over, Roth carefully placed his arm around my waist, startling me. It wasn’t that I’d forgotten that he was there, but I was… I was simply out of it. Looking back, I’d probably be fascinated by the fact that the Crown Prince of Hell had borne witness to the ritualistic funeral of a Warden.
Roth guided me back into the house, but we didn’t make it very far before Jasmine appeared in front of us. Sadness radiated from her every pore, but a look of steely determination had settled on her beautiful face.
“Come with me,” she ordered, turning toward the stairs.
When I didn’t move, Roth took matters into his own hands. Or arms. Turning to me, he thrust one arm under my knees and in the next breath, I was up off my feet and cradled against his chest.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“You’ve been on your feet this whole time and you were injured.” He started for the stairwell, behind Jasmine. “Don’t tell me that you’re fine. Let Jasmine look you over.”
I started to protest, but he was already halfway up the stairs, and it hit me right then—everything that had happened in the last couple of days. Exhaustion grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. It dug in deep and I was weary to my very bones.
Jasmine stopped in front of what used to be my bedroom, and when the door opened, a wave of nostalgia smacked into me. I looked around as Roth walked me to the perfectly made bed and set me down. He lingered close, sitting on the other side.
Nothing had really been touched with the exception of the bed being made, because that seriously hadn’t been me. My desk was still cluttered with notebooks, loose papers and books. The closet door was ajar, revealing the mess of clothing half dangling off its hangers and strewn about the floor, mixed among college applications.
It was too weird being back here.
I looked over at the window Abbot had once bolted shut and saw the dollhouse. My chest contracted, because I couldn’t help but think of the past—of Zayne. In a fit of rage, I had destroyed the dollhouse, and he had rebuilt it back to its former glory. The dollhouse also reminded me of how Bambi had made it her home.
Tears clogged the back of my throat, but I didn’t let them fall. Instead, I focused on Jasmine, who’d put various herbs and her bag of torture devices, otherwise known as a sewing kit, on the bed.
“Can we get the sweater off?” she asked, twisting her long dark hair back and securing it with a hair tie.
Reaching down, I tugged the ruined sweater over my head. I had a tank top under it, but even if I hadn’t, I would’ve been too tired to care if I was showing off my goodies.
Roth took the sweater from me, tossing it to the floor, and then placing his hand on my shoulder. His eyes were fastened to my face.
Jasmine made a soft, clucking sound as she eyed the wound. “What happened?”
“I really don’t know.” I cleared my throat. “Zayne stabbed the Lilin and this is what happened to me.”
“The Lilin was stabbed with an iron dagger,” Roth added. “But it doesn’t look like she has the symptoms of being stabbed with one.”
Jasmine shook her head as she poured antiseptic on a cloth. “No. She would be very ill if that was the case. I’m sorry if this hurts.” She placed the cloth against the wound, and yeah, it did sting, but I’d felt worse. “How have you been?”
“Okay.” I didn’t want to talk about myself. I glanced at the door and then at Roth. “Zayne…he’ll be okay, won’t he?”
Roth was slow to nod. “He has to be.”
“He’s right.” Jasmine mopped up the blood on my shoulder and arm. “With his father gone, Zayne is in line to be the head of this clan.”
My eyes widened. I hadn’t even thought of that.
“He’s too young to completely take over,” she continued. “And it will probably fall to Nicolai to step in until Zayne is ready.”
It was the end of an era and would be the beginning of another.
My body was present while Jasmine talked as she cleaned my wound, and yet, my mind was a thousand miles away it seemed. I couldn’t believe what had happened. This outcome had never crossed my mind. I wasn’t mentally or emotionally prepared for any of this.
“Good news,” Jasmine said, drawing my attention. “The wound is already starting to heal. I don’t need to stitch it closed.”
Thank God, because the last time I had that happen, I had to be held down. Jasmine smoothed some kind of cooling, minty-smelling salve on my arm, and then rose. “You should get some rest,” she said. “It’s late. I’m sure the clan will have no problem with you both staying here.”
Roth raised both brows at that. “You sure?”
She smiled tiredly. “If I’m wrong, then someone will be up here to tell you to leave. Meanwhile, are either of you hungry? I can have food sent up.”
“I’m fine.” Roth looked at me. “You?”
“I’m good.” I reached out, grabbing Jasmine’s hand as she turned to leave. “Thank you.”
“No thanks are ever needed.” With that, she left the room.
Glancing down at my shoulder, I saw the glistening puckered skin. The wound was nowhere near as bad as it had originally felt.
“Want me to grab you a new sweater?” Roth asked, and when I nodded, he headed to my closet, returning with a thick chunky one that buttoned up the front. He was quiet as he took care of the buttons and then knelt, pulling off my boots.
As he kicked his own off, Morris appeared in the door, carrying two glasses. Both had orange juice in them, and that brought a watery smile to my face. He walked them over to the nightstand, and as always, he didn’t say a word. When he turned, he reached out, cupping my cheek with a cool hand. The smile was back on his face and this time it reached his eyes. Then he patted my cheek and left the room, leaving the door half-open.
“That man…he is strange,” commented Roth.
“He’s wonderful,” I immediately defended Morris.
Roth shook his head slowly. “I’m not disputing that, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t know. He just…gives me the creeps.” Roth frowned. “And nothing gives me the creeps.”
I made a face. “There’s nothing creepy about him. Morris is the best and he’s an old man—not exactly a threat to you.”
“Like I said, I don’t know how to explain it.” Turning to me, he scrubbed his fingers through his hair. “Tonight has been…”
“A complete mess?” I scooted over, resting against the back of the headboard as I picked up the cup of OJ.
Roth sat beside me so we were shoulder to shoulder. He stretched his legs out. “Yeah, that about sums it up.”
I took a sip and then another before setting it aside. When I looked at him, I saw that the bruise along his jaw was already fading, but I brushed my fingers around it. “Are you okay?”
His brows knitted. “Don’t worry about me.”
“I do.”
“There’s no need.”
I sighed. “Roth.”
“I’m fine,” he said finally. “It doesn’t even hurt.”
“Good.” I struggled to take an even breath. “Tonight… I don’t even know what to think. I can’t believe Abbot is gone.”
He took a deep breath. “You know how I feel about that man, what he aided in doing to you, but I know he raised you.” He slid his hand around mine and squeezed. “I know what happened isn’t easy for you to accept.”
Closing my eyes, I leaned back. “He died protecting me. I can’t… God, I don’t even know what to say. I was so angry with him before this, but in the end, he came through. I…” I stopped, opening my eyes. They felt wet, and when I spoke, my voice was hoarse. “I still loved him, you know?”
Roth brought my hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss atop it. “It’s obvious that he still loved you as well.”
“Yeah.” I blinked my tears away and drew in a shaky breath.
There was a pause. “Do you want to go check in on Zayne?”
I turned my head toward him, not as surprised by the thoughtfulness as I once might have been. “Yes, but I think… I think he probably needs a little bit of time.”
“Probably,” he murmured, reaching over and tucking a strand of my hair back behind my ear.
Forcing my thoughts to the newest problem we’d discovered, I pulled our joined hands into my lap. “The Lilin…it told me that we were in this together. You heard it say that. I guess we didn’t realize how literally we should take his words.”
Roth made a low, angry sound in the back of his throat. “I didn’t see this coming.”
“Me, neither,” I replied drily. “But it makes sense. Part of me created it. As did a part of Lilith. Grim told me that we were joined, the three of us, but he failed to really go into detail about what that meant.”
“Of course he did.”
“That would’ve been good to know,” I went on tiredly. “I mean, that’s a pretty big detail. If we kill the Lilin, then it kills me. And I’m assuming that works both ways.”
Roth’s gaze turned intent. “There has to be another way. If there’s not, we’ll just find a way to keep it…out of trouble.”
I arched a brow at that, because for one thing, I didn’t think there was anything we could do to keep the Lilin out of trouble short of killing it. But even if we did manage to contain it while letting it live, where did that leave Sam? His soul would be lost, plus all the souls of the congregation the Lilin had taken out. Granted, those people were fanatics, but that didn’t mean they deserved that kind of fate.
Roth’s eyes shifted to the doorway, and I followed his gaze, my breath catching when I saw that it was Zayne. I opened my mouth but he spoke first. “Can I come in?”
“Of course.” I pulled up my legs to give him room, but he lingered by the door, just inside the room. My heart ached for him, for everything. “Are you…?”
“I don’t… I don’t even know what to think.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. “But that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to apologize.”
My mouth dropped open.
“I didn’t know that when I stabbed the Lilin it was going to hurt you.” His crystalline gaze met mine. “I would never hurt you. No matter what. I didn’t—”
“I know. I know you didn’t. I never once thought you’d do that if you’d known. We didn’t even know,” I insisted. “You don’t need to apologize. That’s the last thing you need to do right now. Seriously.”
Some of the conflict eased out of his features. Not a lot, but some. “Do we know why this happened?”
Part of me wanted to tell him he didn’t need to worry about this, but then I realized that he might be seeking to distract himself, and I didn’t want to take that from him. I told him what Roth and I had just discussed.
“There’s got to be a way to fix this,” Zayne said when I was finished. “To separate you from the Lilin.”
“But what if there is no way around it?” A tremor worked its way through me. “What if the Lilin and I are really joined, like we appear to be, and—”
“Don’t say that.” Roth’s eyes brightened fiercely. “Don’t even finish that thought.”
“He’s right,” Zayne said, rubbing his hand over his chest. “There has to be another way. We just don’t know what it is yet.”
I wanted to believe that there was something else, but if we were connected, we were connected.
“We could check with the seer,” Roth suggested.
Turning to him slowly, I stared at him. “The little kid?”
He nodded. “If anyone might know, it would be him. The key is just getting him to spill.”
“The seer?” Zayne looked confused.
“The kid who kind of communes with, well, I don’t know what he communes with, but he doesn’t work for either the heavens or Hell.” I paused, grinning slightly. “He likes to play ‘Assassin’s Creed.’”
“And he likes chicken,” Roth added.
I snorted. “We can check with him tomorrow.” A moment passed and I frowned. “He’ll probably know we’re coming.”
Roth smirked.
My gaze flipped to Zayne. Shadows had blossomed under his weary eyes, and he looked… He looked lost.
“Layla, you know you can stay here.” His shoulders tensed. “Both of you can stay here as long as you need. Okay? And if you leave—just be careful. I have… I need to go.”
Slipping off the bed, I walked over to him. Before he could leave, I wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened, and then he turned in my embrace. Reaching down, he folded his arms around me. Against my cheek, he whispered in a gruff voice, “Thank you.”
And then he let go and left the room, closing the door behind him.
I closed my eyes again, squeezing them shut. I don’t know how long I stood there, but when I turned around, I made my way to the bed. Climbing in, I returned to the position I was in before, shoulder to shoulder with Roth.
“I don’t think he knows,” I said.
“Knows what?” Roth asked quietly.
I looked at him. “I don’t think he knows how his father died. That Abbot was protecting me. He’s already so—”
“Stop.” Roth captured my chin, holding my gaze. “That guy that was just in here? I hate to say this out loud, but he’s a good guy. He doesn’t hate you. He never could. He might not like you right now, but that has nothing to do with his father. I don’t know if he knows how Abbot went down, but if or when he finds out, he’s not going to blame you. Because it wasn’t your fault. And he knows that.”
For a second I didn’t know what to say. “I hate it when you’re right.”
Roth chuckled as he wrapped his arm carefully around me and held me close to him. My cheek found its way to his shoulder. So much had happened in a span of days that my head constantly buzzed with all of it. But in this second, right now, my head was quiet.
“I wouldn’t have changed a thing.”
I blinked as I lifted my head. “What are you talking about?”
“The offer I had Cayman make to the witches.” He dragged his thumb under my lower lip. “Even if I’d known that they’d ask for Bambi, I still would’ve agreed if it meant saving you. I can only guess Zayne would feel the same about the way Abbot died.”
“Oh, Roth…”
“I just want you to know that. Okay?” He leaned over, kissing my forehead. “I miss that snake. I’m always going to miss her, but if I had to do it all over again, I would. No questions asked. I’d do it all over again for you.”