Chapter 84 #2
She had never wanted children before, having no desire to bring another life into the world only to let it down.
But with Airik, a new hope had been born.
Maybe one day they could have created a little life of their own.
Ensure that it would never suffer the wounds that had bled the two of them dry for years.
Another person to love, because her love for Airik had become so overwhelming that it needed somewhere else to flow.
Now it seemed she’d have no choice at all—not with a body that could barely hold itself together.
“I’m okay,” she said, mustering a smile.
Liv hovered in the doorway while the other nurses finished their immediate tasks and left. She opened her mouth, as if to say something to Nora, but whatever thought she had was dismissed. She adjusted her glasses while making a final sweep of the room.
Before Nora could ask what was wrong, Liv quietly closed the door and left.
She waited on the bed, absentmindedly twisting the rough, blunt ends of her hair around a finger.
It now sat unevenly along the base of her neck.
Just like on the Abeona, the lights dimmed as morning turned into afternoon.
Her lids heavy, Nora let them shut and drifted in the liminal space between wakefulness and sleep.
She heard the door open. Probably another nurse checking on her.
Heavy footsteps, belonging to several men, came in, but she didn’t hear the door shut.
Her heart raced as she recognized one set, but it didn’t sound exactly right. Nora kept her eyes shut, gripping the edges of the bed sheet. This could have very well been the tail end of a dying delusion, and the moment she opened her eyes, it’d be over.
“Remember, Lover Boy,” an unfamiliar man’s voice said. “We’re watching you through the sentry cams—so don’t fuck around.”
There wasn’t any response from “Lover Boy,” but the other two men left, and the door shut again.
For long moments, unbearable in how long they stretched, Nora didn’t hear anything except the suddenly frantic beating of the heart monitor.
But then footsteps approached. Her skin grew warm, responding to him, anticipating his touch. She sensed the air around her shift, and the faint yet unmistakable scent of raspberries overwhelmed her.
He didn’t touch her, though she was sure he was close enough to if he wanted. Maybe he thought she was too delicate and damaged.
Whatever foolish belief kept her eyes shut evaporated. Wherever this was—heaven, hell, or the final image before her life was extinguished—she wanted Airik to be the last thing she saw. She opened her eyes. “Lover Boy is way nicer than Major Asshole—”
Her words died the moment she met Airik’s dim gaze.
He stood over her, swaying as if about to collapse.
Dark hollows shadowed his cheeks and under his eyes.
His left arm was bandaged from palm to elbow.
A zip tie held his wrists bound to his belt loop.
The black polo shirt he wore, clearly designed for a human man, clung to his body in a way that caused heat to flare between her legs—to her shock and relief.
At least kudra hadn’t taken this from her, too.
But Airik’s light had gone. His eyes wavered like he didn’t trust the air, her image, or the space still between them.
“You…remember me.”
Nora sat up, reaching for him. But Airik let out a broken cry and stepped back. He looked at the floor as he spoke.
“Is this…real?” He then said a few words she didn’t understand before shaking his head and switching back to English.
“I have dreamed of this moment for days.” His fingers trembled.
“But…when I touch you, you disappear.” He looked at her then—all fear and love and hesitancy.
“Let my eyes have you—like this—just for a little while longer before you go.”
She did as he asked, staying still while he took her in, her breath coming hard every second his eyes didn’t brighten. “This isn’t a dream. Touch me…please.”
He shut his eyes, unmoving. “I did it,” he said quietly. “You didn’t want me to.”
“Did what?”
Airik’s head hung down, twisting his hands against the restraints.
“Oh,” Nora said, scooting forward on the bed to get closer to him.
Ed’un was gone.
“I broke it—ruined everything.” His breath started to come in rapid panting. “The life there—it’s all gone before their time. I said before I wasn’t sorry—I am. I lied. I am so sorry…”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Nora grabbed the pair of suture scissors from the bedside tray and cut the zip ties off Airik’s wrists. “I know—it’s okay.” She brought his hands to her face. “You had to—you were forced.”
“I was not.” He pulled back, but she held him firm.
“You said that kudra kills. That it killed your parents. That it would be used to kill millions more. Right?”
After a moment of painful hesitation, he nodded.
“And you saved the others—the woman and Iver—right? You brought them here?”
Airik shook his head, and her chest tightened in anticipation of a response.
“I…could not bring them,” he said. “The human was marked and tracked. I could not bring her here and lead the Veynari to us and Mars. Iver promised he would fix everything, then return her to us. I can see where he is. They should be…okay.”