Chapter 68
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
Ryker
The question came from my left, but instead of my heart soaring, disappointment filled me. It wasn’t Ellery’s voice; it was Samael.
“Samael,” I said. “Do you know—” I had to try breathing again to finish speaking. It took more time than I would have liked. “—where Ellery is?”
“No.”
“Can you—” Again I had to breathe. “—move?”
“One of my feet and three of my fingers.”
Samael’s voice sounded stronger than mine, and he didn’t have to take breaks to keep speaking.
“You?” he asked.
“Not really.”
He didn’t speak again for a few moments. “Will they come for us or assume we’re dead?”
“If they’re alive—” Small breath. “—they’ll come.”
I was glad when Samael didn’t speak again; it hurt too much to talk. I had to believe I was right in my words to him, but I worried our fate might leave us trapped beneath this rubble, wasting away from starvation and dehydration.
Will we eventually die or turn into withered husks of our former selves?
That wasn’t a fate I could contemplate, especially not for Ellery.
“What she did…” Samael said. “Ryker, what she did….”
Fear emanated from his voice. She’d saved us by releasing her power in such a way, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t scared the shit out of all those who saw it.
The amsirah were wary of her after learning what she could do, but they’d grown to trust and love her. That trust might have been shattered… or perhaps strengthened.
Even if she hadn’t known exactly what would happen when she released her powers, she’d been willing to sacrifice everything for them, including herself, me, and her loved ones. They had to see that.
“It was—” Breath. “—amazing,” I told him.
Samael remained silent for a while before speaking again. “Yeah.”
Inhaling through my nose, I closed my eyes as exhaustion took over and I passed out.