Page 86 of Son of a Witch

Selena recalled her hand and tucked it tightly to her stomach. Not a friendly family reunion there.

Loco gave Selena’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He also knew what it was like to deal with a complicated situation with his child.

Astra noticed the gesture, her brows creasing with guilt.

Cole jumped to his feet, clutching the device. “It’ll get you up and moving. Back out on missions. It was the least I could do for missing Styx when he…” His throat worked with a hard swallow.

My injury could have happened to any of us. Nature of the beast of our work. No point in blaming him or the Guild, though. What was done was done.

Supergal’s rousing speech during our date reminded me to focus on the positive. I remained living and breathing, when I could have been carted out of here in a coffin. Tick. Partial movement was better than nothing. Major tick. Big fucking tick for being able to get my dick up for my girl. Still had my pretty boy looks and witty charm.Fuck’n A.

“There were many variables at play, man.” What was important was that I got a second chance to get out of this chair. “How does it work?”

“I’ll show you.” Cole gestured to Knoxe. “Give me a hand and lift him out of his chair.

Knoxe bent down, slid his arms beneath my armpits, lifting me off the seat, our chests flush. I felt limp and weak in his arms. He was strong and fit. Everything I wanted to be.

“Hey, babe. You know how to hold me just right.” I winked and blew a kiss at Knoxe. He snorted at me.

Cole fit me up to the thing, threading it over my neck and shoulders like the straps of a backpack. “This has sensors at every juncture that will communicate with your nervous system and brain, enabling you to walk.” He locked one compartment over me. “Well... if it works that is. The warden has kindly let me come to test it with you. Make adjustments if necessary.”

Hope flooded my system for the first time in days. If he was as good with tech as what Supergirl said, then maybe I might be out of my chair, up and walking. As quickly as my optimism came, I stuffed it back down though, because I didn’t want to get my hopes up only to be crushed and disappointed if it didn’t work.

When Cole finished, he patted my ankle and said, “You’re all hooked up. Let’s switch this baby on and test it. This will be my masterpiece if it works.” He chef kissed his fingers and my stomach clenched.

This thing better work, because I doubted the warden would let him back inside the prison to make adjustments to the system.

“You activate the electrical pulse synapses system by placing the crystal here.” Cole demonstrated by pushing a small green crystal into a welded hole that felt like a knife to my heart.

Knoxe thumped my back and grinned. Fucking grinned. Asshole rarely smiled anymore. Not like he used to. Like when he kicked our ass in training, when we got an awesome lead in the Styx case, or at our girl.

Pascal studied the metal, probing it with his magick, making it sing. Something he wouldn’t have been able to do elsewhere in the prison, since we were able to deploy our powers in training only.

Astra nudged him with her elbow. A warning to play down his powerful magick in front of the warden. Pascal gripped my hips, pretending to steady me.

“Try it.” Cole gestured excitedly.

I didn’t move. Was too scared too. Frightened of what might happen if this thing was a dud. I didn’t want to be his lab rat in front of the group. Too much pressure from myself on top of the expectations of others to deal with.

Knoxe eased his grip on me, nudging me to move, while Pascal kept up his hold, pinging the metal as if he tested its strength and function.

“I can’t.” Everything was frozen. Paralyzed with fear. I couldn’t muster a damn blink if I tried.

Knoxe slowly let me go and I wobbled but didn’t fall under Pascal’s firm grip. “Let him go, Pascal.”

“He might fall, Knoxe.” Pascal had my back, and I clamped a hand on his arm, using him as a brace.

Supergal didn’t fight Knoxe for once with her words. Absolute faith in Cole’s invention and the man himself. She kept up her encouraging smile and waved me into action. “You can do it, Tor.”

The warden studied me with mild interest. The cold bastard didn’t give anything away.

I couldn’t breathe. Everything hinged on this important moment. Walking again. Getting back onto missions. Earning the bounty and my freedom. Taking care of my family and girlfriend.

I moved the arm not clutching Pascal to free up my nerves.

“Tell your body to move,” Cole instructed. “Get the nerves communicating.”

“My fucking nerves are snapped!” I shouldn’t have bitten his head off, but I was on the edge of collapsing mentally and physically if this didn’t work.

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