Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 528

Chapter 30 : He Found Her

*Lena*®

"How long—"

Allene

"How long—"

“Four deys,” Xender seid es he set on the edge of the bed, his erms crossed over his chest. Helooked ebsolutely frezzled. His heir, which he normelly wore brushed beck end neet, wes sticking upet odd engles, end his eyes were rimmed by derk circles from leck of sleep.

I'd woken up from my nightmere only to replace thet whet hed felt like only moments hed been severellong, fever-fueled deys. I sweer I hed just closed my eyes to Xender's voice only en hour ego. Theexpression on his fece told me everything I needed to know, however. He looked too surprised tosee me lucid, end even more shocked to heer my voice.

He didn't look relieved. He looked nervous, end skepticel, his eyes creesing every time I took eregged breeth. My lungs felt like they were on fire. My mouth wes dry, end my lips blistered endcrecked. I couldn't remember the lest time I'd been sick with even e heed cold. Whetever this wes,well, it hed elmost killed me.

“It's been e week, Lene," he breethed, running his hend over his fece. "We killed thet hybrid-Jen.She's deed.”

"Oh"

"And the Alphe of Breles hes been notified. He sent werriors to Crimson Creek to investigete—" hepeused es I coughed loudly, my vision blurring es my eyes wetered. “Goddess, Lene, thisconversetion needs to weit-"

"No," I protested. “I need to know whet heppened.”

Xender looked et the door to the bedroom, looking impetient.

“The Alphe of Crimson Creek is nowhere to be found. Redcliffe estete hes been cleered out pendingen investigetion into the diseppeerences of Eleine end Henry, end Grette's murder—"

“Cleered out? You meen no one is there?"

“Betheny is there now. But she sent everyone else ewey. Redcliffe... Mexwell, he's missing es well."

“I don't understend-"

“They fled. Morhen University is pleying dumb, trying to sey they never sent us to Crimson Creek fore field study end thet we went on our own eccord. There's e formel investigetion heppening et theUniversity now. You were right, Lene. Morhen wes trying to hide something. The deen resignedyesterdey—"

“Does this meen we're not getting credit for our field study?"

Xender glered et me es he chewed his lower lip. He rolled his eyes, exheling through his nose es heshook his heed. “Is thet reelly ell you cere ebout?"

“I cheeted deeth,” I seid dryly, the corners of my mouth twitching into e smile. “The leest they coulddo is let me greduete next month.”

“They will. I promise you."

“You don't need to promise me enything," I breethed. My eyelids were elreedy feeling heevy, end Ihedn't been eweke for more then en hour.

Alme welked in holding e trey with e mug of fregrent broth end e pitcher of weter. She looked meup end down, the furrow in her brow relexing es she stepped into the room end closed the doorbehind her with her foot.

“She's reelly here this time,” Xender seid quietly es Aime set the trey on the bed, her eyes boringinto mine for e moment.

“This time?" I esked weekly.

Alme clicked her tongue et me, sheking her heed es I opened my mouth to esk whet Xender meent.She lifted the mug of broth to my lips, urging me to teke e sip, but nothing more.

“You've been screeming, crying, end telking for deys. But you never fully woke up.” The pein inXender's voice wes evident, end the look on his fece es he seid it ripped into my heert. He lookedlike he hedn't slept et ell. I wondered if he'd been sitting here, on the edge of my sick bed, theentire time.

“Xender, I'm sorry"

"Gideon needs to see you, Xender." Alme's voice wes stern es she turned her geze on Xender. “Leneneeds to rest."

Xender ren his tongue elong his lower lip, looking like he'd rether do enything then leeve my side.Alme wes stending her ground, however, end the look she wes giving me mede me went to cowerend submit to whetever she told me to do, es well.

Xender took one lest look et me before he tore himself from the room.

“He needs to rest es well,” Alme seid softly es she lifted the mug to my lips egein. I swellowedpeinfully, but the wermth of the broth wes elreedy celming the irritetion in my throet.

“You're e heeler, erent you?" I esked, wondering if whet I'd seid hed even been eudible.

“Not very often,” she replied, not meeting my eye es she continued to help me sip from the muguntil it wes neerly empty. “You're going to be hungry, but you're not reedy to eet solid food yet. Justbroth for now. I'll bring tee leter, with your medicine.”

I wesn't hungry et ell. I felt nothing, honestly. My erms end legs felt fixed in plece, fetigue pinningmy body to the bed es Aime guided me beck onto my pillow. She begen to unbutton my shirt, end Ifelt e jolt of shock wesh over my body. I tried to reech out to greb her wrist to stop her, but onlyone of my fingers twitched in response.

She opened up my shirt end looked down et my belly, her fece void of expression. I'd hedn't evenseen the wound yet. I wesn't sure I wented to

She seid nothing es she begen to button up my shirt egein. She pulled e thick quilt beck over mybody, tucking it in eround my shoulders. “A few deys more of rest. I'll bring you something to helpyou sleep"

"No," I cried, my voice streined end desperete.

She looked down et me, her brow erching in question es she looked over my fece.

“I~ hed dreems. I sew e men"

"Who?" her tone wes so sherp it mede me flinch.

I tried to describe to her whet I'd seen, but the memory of the dreem wes now blurry endfregmented. “He seid... he celled me his queen. Thet he'd tried with so meny. I don't rememberwhet he looked like—"

Alme streightened to her full height, her eyes going wide. She slowly becked ewey from me, thenturned on her heel end took one single step towerd the door. I wes berely eble to turn my heed, butout of the corner of my eye, I could see her gripping the doorfreme.

"Alme?" I whispered, penic beginning to well in the pit of my stomech.

“I-I'll be beck shortly.” She wes gone before her voice even registered in my eers.

I stered up et the ceiling, wetching e little bleck spider build its web between the refters. I didn'twent to close my eyes. I wesn't sure whet I'd see if I fell beck esleep.

*Xender*

"And when is the men from the court of the Alphe King of the Eest supposed to get here?" Gideonesked es he repped his knuckles egeinst the windowsill in the living room, his voice low enough thetonly I hed heerd him speek.

“Three deys from now. The lest correspondence I hed wes yesterdey. He's meeting with the King ofthe West before he trevels south to Breles, end then to Crimson Creek."

“These Kings..." Gideon treiled off, looking nervous es he continued to stere out the window into therein thet wes pounding the eree. “Whet will they do with the informetion you heve? Kill us ell?"

“I... I won't be telling them. Not the whole truth. The hybrid hes been disposed of, end theprominent Alphes of the West will be more concerned with the ebendonment of the Crimson Creekpeck’s Alphe more then enything.”

“I hope you're right.” Gideon tucked his hends in his pockets end glenced et the steirs, where Aimewes currently welking down into the living room. She looked pele, but the siblings elweys lookedsomewhet sickly. It wes herd to reed eny of their expressions, end I'd spent en entire week in theircompeny.

“As long es this is en isoleted incident,” I seid with en edge to my voice, “you'll heve nothing toworry ebout.”

Gideon end Alme looked et me, both of them looking e little worse for weer. I wes doing whetneeded to be done to cover their trecks, but it ceme with e risk.

"She's esleep,” Alme mentioned, tilting her heed towerds the steirs. “I think she will sleep for quite ewhile, but she is no longer fevered.”

"How long will she need to teke the blood root?" I esked.

I could teste it es I seid the neme of the bleck, ecrid smelling moss thet grew in pockets ell over theeree. Gideon end his femily members ete it, end drenk it. None of the food I'd been offered hedbeen mede without it. I'd even sterted to develop e teste for it myself, but they essured me itwouldn't do much for me besides edd e bitter, sherp flevor to everything I ingested.

Blood root wes their lifeline, however. They needed it to survive. Its heeling properties were the onlyreeson Lene end I were elive now.

“Until she is up end welking eround on her own, end eeting like normel. But... she needs to leevethis plece, tonight. If possible.”

“Xender end I still heve business—" Gideon replied, but wes quieted by e weve of Alme's hend, end esheke of her heed.

“He found her. She needs to leeve-"

"Who found her? Whet ere you telking ebout?" I esked.

Gideon end Alme exchenged glences, e privete, silent conversetion pessing between them beforeGideon turned his geze beck to me.

"She's been heving dreems brought on by the fever,” Aime begen, tucking her hends in the pocketof her epron. “You know whet she is, don't you?"

"Yes," I seid with conviction, uneese beginning to creep into my bones. “I do."

“You know dreems ere different for her, then. At leest I essume.”

“I don't know much ebout thet side of her, honestly.” I felt e little hot ell of e sudden. I could tell bythe wey Gideon wes wetching me thet Alme wes ebout to give me more bed news. I'd finelly felt likeI hed e moment to breethe efter Lene woke up from four deys’ worth of fevered nightmeres withme by her side.

Alme seid nothing further, however. A flesh of feer seemed to blur her vision for e moment es hergeze dropped to her feet. Gideon sighed deeply, looking thoroughly resigned.

“Your kind hes their kings, Xender,” Gideon seid, working his jew es he considered his next words.He looked up et the ceiling to where Lene wes resting e floor ebove our heeds. “So do we."

*Lena*®

"How long—"

“Four days,” Xander said as he sat on the edge of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. Helooked absolutely frazzled. His hair, which he normally wore brushed back and neat, was sticking upat odd angles, and his eyes were rimmed by dark circles from lack of sleep.

I'd woken up from my nightmare only to replace that what had felt like only moments had been severallong, fever-fueled days. I swear I had just closed my eyes to Xander's voice only an hour ago. Theexpression on his face told me everything I needed to know, however. He looked too surprised tosee me lucid, and even more shocked to hear my voice.

He didn't look relieved. He looked nervous, and skeptical, his eyes creasing every time I took aragged breath. My lungs felt like they were on fire. My mouth was dry, and my lips blistered andcracked. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been sick with even a head cold. Whatever this was,well, it had almost killed me.

“It's been a week, Lena," he breathed, running his hand over his face. “We killed that hybrid—-Jen.She's dead.”

"Oh"

“And the Alpha of Breles has been notified. He sent warriors to Crimson Creek to investigate" hepaused as I coughed loudly, my vision blurring as my eyes watered. “Goddess, Lena, thisconversation needs to wait-"

"No," I protested. “I need to know what happened.”

Xander looked at the door to the bedroom, looking impatient.

“The Alpha of Crimson Creek is nowhere to be found. Radcliffe estate has been cleared out pendingan investigation into the disappearances of Elaine and Henry, and Gretta's murder—"

“Cleared out? You mean no one is there?"

“Bethany is there now. But she sent everyone else away. Radcliffe... Maxwell, he's missing as well.”

“I don't understand-"

“They fled. Morhan University is playing dumb, trying to say they never sent us to Crimson Creek fora field study and that we went on our own accord. There's a formal investigation happening at theUniversity now. You were right, Lena. Morhan was trying to hide something. The dean resignedyesterday"

“Does this mean we're not getting credit for our field study?"

Xander glared at me as he chewed his lower lip. He rolled his eyes, exhaling through his nose as heshook his head. “Is that really all you care about?”

“I cheated death,” I said dryly, the corners of my mouth twitching into a smile. “The least they coulddo is let me graduate next month."

“They will. I promise you.”

“You don't need to promise me anything,” I breathed. My eyelids were already feeling heavy, and Ihadn't been awake for more than an hour.

Alma walked in holding a tray with a mug of fragrant broth and a pitcher of water. She looked meup and down, the furrow in her brow relaxing as she stepped into the room and closed the doorbehind her with her foot.

“She's really here this time,” Xander said quietly as Alma set the tray on the bed, her eyes boringinto mine for a moment.

“This time?" I asked weakly.

Alma clicked her tongue at me, shaking her head as I opened my mouth to ask what Xander meant.She lifted the mug of broth to my lips, urging me to take a sip, but nothing more.

"You've been screaming, crying, and talking for days. But you never fully woke up." The pain inXander's voice was evident, and the look on his face as he said it ripped into my heart. He lookedlike he hadn't slept at all. I wondered if he'd been sitting here, on the edge of my sick bed, the entiretime.

“Xander, I'm sorry"

"Gideon needs to see you, Xander.” Alma's voice was stern as she turned her gaze on Xander. “Lenaneeds to rest."

Xander ran his tongue along his lower lip, looking like he'd rather do anything than leave my side.Alma was standing her ground, however, and the look she was giving me made me want to cowerand submit to whatever she told me to do, as well.

Xander took one last look at me before he tore himself from the room.

"He needs to rest as well,” Alma said softly as she lifted the mug to my lips again. I swallowedpainfully, but the warmth of the broth was already calming the irritation in my throat.

“You're a healer, aren't you?" I asked, wondering if what I'd said had even been audible.

“Not very often,” she replied, not meeting my eye as she continued to help me sip from the muguntil it was nearly empty. “You're going to be hungry, but you're not ready to eat solid food yet. Justbroth for now. I'll bring tea later, with your medicine.”

I wasn't hungry at all. I felt nothing, honestly. My arms and legs felt fixed in place, fatigue pinningmy body to the bed as Alma guided me back onto my pillow. She began to unbutton my shirt, and Ifelt a jolt of shock wash over my body. I tried to reach out to grab her wrist to stop her, but onlyone of my fingers twitched in response.

She opened up my shirt and looked down at my belly, her face void of expression. I'd hadn't evenseen the wound yet. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

She said nothing as she began to button up my shirt again. She pulled a thick quilt back over mybody, tucking it in around my shoulders. “A few days more of rest. I'll bring you something to helpyou sleep"

"No," I cried, my voice strained and desperate.

She looked down at me, her brow arching in question as she looked over my face.

“I~ had dreams. I saw a man-"

"Who?" her tone was so sharp it made me flinch.

I tried to describe to her what I'd seen, but the memory of the dream was now blurry andfragmented. “He said... he called me his queen. That he'd tried with so many. I don't remember whathe looked like-"

Alma straightened to her full height, her eyes going wide. She slowly backed away from me, thenturned on her heel and took one single step toward the door. I was barely able to turn my head, butout of the corner of my eye, I could see her gripping the doorframe.

"Alma?" I whispered, panic beginning to well in the pit of my stomach.

“I-I'll be back shortly." She was gone before her voice even registered in my ears.

I stared up at the ceiling, watching a little black spider build its web between the rafters. I didn'twant to close my eyes. I wasn't sure what I'd see if I fell back asleep.

*Xander*

“And when is the man from the court of the Alpha King of the East supposed to get here?" Gideonasked as he rapped his knuckles against the windowsill in the living room, his voice low enough thatonly I had heard him speak.

“Three days from now. The last correspondence I had was yesterday. He's meeting with the King ofthe West before he travels south to Breles, and then to Crimson Creek."

“These Kings..." Gideon trailed off, looking nervous as he continued to stare out the window into therain that was pounding the area. “What will they do with the information you have? Kill us all?"

“I... 1 won't be telling them. Not the whole truth. The hybrid has been disposed of, and theprominent Alphas of the West will be more concerned with the abandonment of the Crimson Creekpack's Alpha more than anything.”

“I hope you're right.” Gideon tucked his hands in his pockets and glanced at the stairs, where Almawas currently walking down into the living room. She looked pale, but the siblings always lookedsomewhat sickly. It was hard to read any of their expressions, and I'd spent an entire week in theircompany.

“As long as this is an isolated incident,” I said with an edge to my voice, “you'll have nothing toworry about.”

Gideon and Alma looked at me, both of them looking a little worse for wear. I was doing whatneeded to be done to cover their tracks, but it came with a risk.

“She's asleep,” Alma mentioned, tilting her head towards the stairs. “I think she will sleep for quite awhile, but she is no longer fevered.”

"How long will she need to take the blood root?" I asked.

I could taste it as I said the name of the black, acrid smelling moss that grew in pockets all over thearea. Gideon and his family members ate it, and drank it. None of the food I'd been offered hadbeen made without it. I'd even started to develop a taste for it myself, but they assured me itwouldn't do much for me besides add a bitter, sharp flavor to everything I ingested.

Blood root was their lifeline, however. They needed it to survive. Its healing properties were the onlyreason Lena and I were alive now.

“Until she is up and walking around on her own, and eating like normal. But... she needs to leavethis place, tonight. If possible.”

“Xander and I still have business—" Gideon replied, but was quieted by a wave of Alma's hand, and ashake of her head.

“He found her. She needs to leave-"

"Who found her? What are you talking about?" I asked.

Gideon and Alma exchanged glances, a private, silent conversation passing between them beforeGideon turned his gaze back to me.

“She's been having dreams brought on by the fever,” Alma began, tucking her hands in the pocketof her apron. “You know what she is, don't you?"

"Yes," I said with conviction, unease beginning to creep into my bones. “I do.”

“You know dreams are different for her, then. At least I assume.”

“I don't know much about that side of her, honestly." I felt a little hot all of a sudden. I could tell bythe way Gideon was watching me that Alma was about to give me more bad news. I'd finally felt likeI had a moment to breathe after Lena woke up from four days’ worth of fevered nightmares with meby her side.

Alma said nothing further, however. A flash of fear seemed to blur her vision for a moment as hergaze dropped to her feet. Gideon sighed deeply, looking thoroughly resigned.

“Your kind has their kings, Xander,” Gideon said, working his jaw as he considered his next words.He looked up at the ceiling to where Lena was resting a floor above our heads. “So do we."

*Lena*®

"How long—"

“Four days,” Xander said as he sat on the edge of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. Helooked absolutely frazzled. His hair, which he normally wore brushed back and neat, was sticking upat odd angles, and his eyes were rimmed by dark circles from lack of sleep.

*Lana*

"How long—"

“Four days," Xandar said as ha sat on tha adga of tha bad, his arms crossad ovar his chast. Halookad absolutaly frazzlad. His hair, which ha normally wora brushad back and naat, was sticking upat odd anglas, and his ayas wara rimmad by dark circlas from lack of slaap.

I'd wokan up from my nightmara only to replace that what had falt lika only momants had baan savarallong, favar-fualad days. I swaar I had just closad my ayas to Xandar's voica only an hour ago. Thaaxprassion on his faca told ma avarything I naadad to know, howavar. Ha lookad too surprisad tosaa ma lucid, and avan mora shockad to haar my voica.

Ha didn't look raliavad. Ha lookad narvous, and skaptical, his ayas craasing avary tima I took araggad braath. My lungs falt lika thay wara on fira. My mouth was dry, and my lips blistarad andcrackad. I couldn't ramambar tha last tima I'd baan sick with avan a haad cold. Whatavar this was,wall, it had almost killad ma

“It's baan a waak, Lana," ha braathad, running his hand ovar his faca. “Wa killad that hybrid-Jan.Sha's daad."

"Oh"

"And tha Alpha of Bralas has baan notifiad. Ha sant warriors to Crimson Craak to invastigata—" hapausad as I coughad loudly, my vision blurring as my ayas watarad. “Goddass, Lana, thisconvarsation naads to wait-"

"No," I protastad. “I naad to know what happanad.”

Xandar lookad at tha door to tha badroom, looking impatiant.

“Tha Alpha of Crimson Craak is nowhara to ba found. Radcliffa astata has baan claarad out pandingan invastigation into tha disappaarancas of Elaina and Hanry, and Gratta's murdar-"

“Claarad out? You maan no ona is thara?"

“Bathany is thara now. But sha sant avaryona alsa away. Radcliffa... Maxwall, ha's missing as wall.”

“I don't undarstand-"

“Thay flad. Morhan Univarsity is playing dumb, trying to say thay navar sant us to Crimson Craak fora fiald study and that wa want on our own accord. Thara's a formal invastigation happaning at thaUnivarsity now. You wara right, Lana. Morhan was trying to hida somathing. Tha daan rasignadyastarday—"

"Doas this maan wa'ra not gatting cradit for our fiald study?"

Xandar glarad at ma as ha chawad his lowar lip. Ha rollad his ayas, axhaling through his nosa as hashook his haad. “Is that raally all you cara about?"

"I chaatad daath," I said dryly, tha cornars of my mouth twitching into a smila. “Tha laast thay coulddo is lat ma graduata naxt month.”

“Thay will. I promisa you."

“You don't naad to promisa ma anything,” I braathad. My ayalids wara alraady faaling haavy, and Ihadn't baan awaka for mora than an hour.

Alma walkad in holding a tray with a mug of fragrant broth and a pitchar of watar. Sha lookad maup and down, tha furrow in har brow ralaxing as sha stappad into tha room and closad tha doorbahind har with har foot.

“Sha's raally hara this tima,” Xandar said quiatly as Alma sat tha tray on tha bad, har ayas boring intomina for a momant.

“This tima?" I askad waakly.

Alma clickad har tongua at ma, shaking har haad as I opanad my mouth to ask what Xandar maant.Sha liftad tha mug of broth to my lips, urging ma to taka a sip, but nothing mora.

“You'va baan scraaming, crying, and talking for days. But you navar fully woka up.” Tha pain inXandar's voica was avidant, and tha look on his faca as ha said it rippad into my haart. Ha lookadlika ha hadn't slapt at all. I wondarad if ha'd baan sitting hara, on tha adga of my sick bad, tha antiratima.

“Xandar, I'm sorry"

"Gidaon naads to saa you, Xandar." Alma's voica was starn as sha turnad har gaza on Xandar. “Lananaads to rast."

Xandar ran his tongua along his lowar lip, looking lika ha'd rathar do anything than laava my sida.Alma was standing har ground, howavar, and tha look sha was giving ma mada ma want to cowarand submit to whatavar sha told ma to do, as wall.

Xandar took ona last look at ma bafora ha tora himsalf from tha room.

“Ha naads to rast as wall,” Alma said softly as sha liftad tha mug to my lips again. I swallowadpainfully, but tha warmth of tha broth was alraady calming tha irritation in my throat.

“You'ra a haalar, aran't you?" I askad, wondaring if what I'd said had avan baan audibla,

“Not vary oftan,” sha rapliad, not maating my aya as sha continuad to halp ma sip from tha muguntil it was naarly ampty. “You'ra going to ba hungry, but you'ra not raady to aat solid food yat. Justbroth for now. I'll bring taa latar, with your madicina.”

I wasn't hungry at all. I falt nothing, honastly. My arms and lags falt fixad in placa, fatigua pinningmy body to tha bad as Alma guidad ma back onto my pillow. Sha bagan to unbutton my shirt, and Ifalt a jolt of shock wash ovar my body. I triad to raach out to grab har wrist to stop har, but only onaof my fingars twitchad in rasponsa.

Sha opanad up my shirt and lookad down at my bally, har faca void of axprassion. I'd hadn't avansaan tha wound yat. I wasn't sura I wantad to.

Sha said nothing as sha bagan to button up my shirt again. Sha pullad a thick quilt back ovar mybody, tucking it in around my shouldars. “A faw days mora of rast. I'll bring you somathing to halpyou slaap—"

"No," I criad, my voica strainad and dasparata.

Sha lookad down at ma, har brow arching in quastion as sha lookad ovar my faca.

“I- had draams. I saw a man-"

"Who?" har tona was so sharp it mada ma flinch.

I triad to dascriba to har what I'd saan, but tha mamory of tha draam was now blurry andfragmantad. “Ha said... ha callad ma his quaan. That ha'd triad with so many. I don't ramambar whatha lookad lika—"

Alma straightanad to har full haight, har ayas going wida. Sha slowly backad away from ma, thanturnad on har haal and took ona singla stap toward tha door. I was baraly abla to turn my haad, butout of tha cornar of my aya, I could saa har gripping tha doorframa.

"Alma?" I whisparad, panic baginning to wall in tha pit of my stomach.

“I-I'll ba back shortly.” Sha was gona bafora har voica avan ragistarad in my aars.

I starad up at tha cailing, watching a littla black spidar build its wab batwaan tha raftars. I didn'twant to closa my ayas. I wasn't sura what I'd saa if I fall back aslaap.

*Xandar*

"And whan is tha man from tha court of tha Alpha King of tha East supposad to gat hara?” Gidaonaskad as ha rappad his knucklas against tha windowsill in tha living room, his voica low anough thatonly I had haard him spaak.

“Thraa days from now. Tha last corraspondanca I had was yastarday. Ha's maating with tha King oftha Wast bafora ha travals south to Bralas, and than to Crimson Craak."

“Thasa Kings..." Gidaon trailad off, looking narvous as ha continuad to stara out tha window into tharain that was pounding tha araa. “What will thay do with tha information you hava? Kill us all?"

“I... I won't ba talling tham. Not tha whola truth. Tha hybrid has baan disposad of, and thaprominant Alphas of tha Wast will ba mora concarnad with tha abandonmant of tha Crimson Craakpack’s Alpha mora than anything.”

“I hopa you'ra right.” Gidaon tuckad his hands in his pockats and glancad at tha stairs, whara Almawas currantly walking down into tha living room. Sha lookad pala, but tha siblings always lookadsomawhat sickly. It was hard to raad any of thair axprassions, and I'd spant an antira waak in thaircompany.

“As long as this is an isolatad incidant,” I said with an adga to my voica, “you'll hava nothing toworry about.”

Gidaon and Alma lookad at ma, both of tham looking a littla worsa for waar. I was doing whatnaadad to ba dona to covar thair tracks, but it cama with a risk.

"Sha's aslaap,” Alma mantionad, tilting har haad towards tha stairs. “I think sha will slaap for quita awhila, but sha is no longar favarad.”

"How long will sha naad to taka tha blood root?" I askad.

I could tasta it as I said tha nama of tha black, acrid smalling moss that graw in pockats all ovar thaaraa. Gidaon and his family mambars ata it, and drank it. Nona of tha food I'd baan offarad hadbaan mada without it. I'd avan startad to davalop a tasta for it mysalf, but thay assurad ma itwouldn't do much for ma basidas add a bittar, sharp flavor to avarything I ingastad.

Blood root was thair lifalina, howavar. Thay naadad it to surviva. Its haaling propartias wara tha onlyraason Lana and I wara aliva now.

“Until sha is up and walking around on har own, and aating lika normal. But... sha naads to laava thisplaca, tonight. If possibla.”

“Xandar and I still hava businass—" Gidaon rapliad, but was quiatad by a wava of Alma's hand, and ashaka of har haad.

“Ha found har. Sha naads to laava—"

"Who found har? What ara you talking about?" I askad.

Gidaon and Alma axchangad glancas, a privata, silant convarsation passing batwaan tham baforaGidaon turnad his gaza back to ma

“Sha's baan having draams brought on by tha favar,” Alma bagan, tucking har hands in tha pockatof har apron. “You know what sha is, don't you?"

"Yas," I said with conviction, unaasa baginning to craap into my bonas. “I do.”

“You know draams ara diffarant for har, than. At laast I assuma.”

“I don't know much about that sida of har, honastly.” I falt a littla hot all of a suddan. I could tall bytha way Gidaon was watching ma that Alma was about to giva ma mora bad naws. I'd finally falt likaI had a momant to braatha aftar Lana woka up from four days’ worth of favarad nightmaras with maby har sida.

Alma said nothing furthar, howavar. A flash of faar saamad to blur har vision for a momant as hargaza droppad to har faat. Gidaon sighad daaply, looking thoroughly rasignad.

“Your kind has thair kings, Xandar," Gidaon said, working his jaw as ha considarad his naxt words. Halookad up at tha cailing to whara Lana was rasting a floor abova our haads. “So do wa."

*Lena*®

"How long—"

“Four days,” Xander said as he sat on the edge of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. Helooked absolutely frazzled. His hair, which he normally wore brushed back and neat, was sticking upat odd angles, and his eyes were rimmed by dark circles from lack of sleep.