Page 26 of Wicked Thirst
“He’s not lost. He’s still in there, I know it. We need to get him home.”
Atlas looked down at himself. “One limb at a time then? He is too strong.”
I scoffed and muttered, “Maybe for you.”
“Audacity is not a good look for you.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Neither is being a big old pus?—”
“—enough,” Titus broke in. “You will find him, and you will bring him home by any means necessary. Understood?”
I nodded, feeling satisfaction run through my body. It was good to have Titus on my side, even if no one else would be. Atlas gave a hesitant nod. “Understood.”
Titus gave a simple nod. “You see to my nephew. And Atlas?”
“Yes, Your Majesty?” Atlas tried to perk up.
“No hunting until you’re properly healed.” He turned and was gone in a moment, leaving the two of us there to stare at each other with all the annoyance both of us could muster.
“Why did it look like you tried to kill him?” I barely whispered.
“Because I gave him my word I would if he fell to the curse.” He closed his eyes and let his head fall back. “And I have never let him down, not once. I will not start now.”
I tried to swallow around the ball in my throat. Everyone knew if Atlas wanted someone dead, they were as good as dead. But this was Gray, and we both loved him. “But he’s your only friend.”
“I know.”
“How long?”
“How long for what?” He sighed and flexed his fingers as if sitting here waiting was the most painful thing that’d happened to him tonight.
“For you to keep your word?” If I knew how much longer I had, then I might be able to do . . . something.
No answer.
The doctor walked back into the room and checked under the gauze pads. “This is going to take some time. The wounds are deep. I fear there’s organ damage.”
“Get me up and going,” Atlas demanded.
“I require more help and some supplies. I’ll return shortly.” He glanced from Atlas to me and back again. “Do try not to kill each other.”
“If he behaves, he has nothing to worry about.”
Atlas scoffed as the doctor left the room. I faced him once more, ready to question everything that transpired between him and Grayson. A glimmer of hope sparked in my chest. “So, he made you promise to kill him should he ever fall to the curse?”
He and I were gonna have words about that later. The list of things we were going to have words about kept growing and growing.
Atlas gave a single nod.
“Good.”
“What do you mean, good?” His eyebrows rose up in shock.
I met his eye and held my chin up even though all I wanted to do was give myself a moment to freak out. But Grayson didn’t have a moment, which meant neither did I. “It means now you can stop fucking around and help me. He may have made you promise to kill him . . . but he never made you promise to do it quickly.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
SANCHITA
