Page 58 of Land of Shadow

I tense, my shakes growing more violent.

“You’re safe.” He takes his hand from my hair. “Don’t be afraid.”

“D-d-don’t b-be af-f-fraid?” My harsh laugh turns into a cough. I’m bleeding in the shower with a bloodthirsty vampire, and he’s telling me not to be afraid. I think the gas may have done something to my brain, because my laugh-cough turns into a sob before I get a grip on myself and simply go back to shivering.

“There’s gas in your clothes, too. I can smell it.” He strips off my jacket, ignoring my yell of protest. “Take it off. It’s poisoned.”

I cross my shaking arms over my chest as I turn toward him. “I can take it from here.” I try to look up at him, but my vision is still swimming. All I can make out is the dark slash of his hair, and I know without even seeing that he’s scowling at me.

“You almost died out there.” He says it so quietly I can barely hear it over the sound of the water.

“Don’t worry,” I snap back. “You saved my life. Gregor will be pleased his investment is still going strong.”

He stiffens, and I could swear the water suddenly feels colder. Without another word, he steps from the shower and leaves.

I spend the next half hour under the spray. Once I’ve stripped and scrubbed every inch of my skin, I continue to let the water run over me. When I’m finally shivering too much to stand it, I turn off the water and step out. The mirror is a horror show. Red eyes, the skin on my nostrils is flaking, a lump and a cut on my forehead from hitting the wall, and my entire face is puffy. I look like I went twelve rounds with a hornet’s nest.

Digging around in my cabinet, I find some pain relievers and toss several back, then wrap myself in my bath robe and a towel for my hair. Curling up in my bed, I shiver as my face burns, my eyes too swollen to close all the way.

“—let me see her now, or I’ll have you strung up by your goddamn toes.” A gruff voice pulls my attention toward the hallway.

“Quaint,” Valen responds, the word laced with derision.

He’s still here? I stand and walk to the hall.

“Jesus H. The mug on you.” Vince, who seems to have gone completely gray in the space of a month, glares at me. “What the hell were you doing outside the safe zone?” he barks.

“I was taking a walk!” I yell back. “I can’t take a walk without getting jumped by assholes in gas masks?”

Valen steps aside and leans against the wall, watching us with interest.

“You could’ve been killed.” Vince storms past Valen and stops right in front of me. “Your sister’s worried sick about you.”

“About me?She’sworried aboutme?” I would laugh if my throat weren’t so sore.

He glances at Valen, then jerks his chin toward the living room. “Georgia, come in here. Let me get a better look at you.”

I follow him and sit on the sofa as he takes over one of the chairs. He’s not just gray, he’s lost weight too. He looks almost gaunt compared to his usual fullness.

“Are you okay?” I lean back and close my eyes. It takes effort to keep them open when they’re this swollen.

“Me? I’m fine and dandy. Never been better. You look fucking awful!” At least he hasn’t lost his overabundance of snark.

I lower my voice to a rasp. “Did Juno tell you about what happened to …” I can’t say her name. Not out loud. Not yet. Not without seeing her, hearing her, smelling her blood.Georgia. My stomach churns as I watch him through slitted eyes.

He scrubs a hand down his whiskered face, grief writ large in his hitched breath. I’ve never seen him look so defeated. Like part of his light has gone out. I suppose some of mine has, too.

“Yes, she told me.” His gaze flickers to the hallway where Valen is likely still standing. “Don’t trust any of them, Georgia. Not a single one,” he says with quiet vehemence.

“I don’t.”

“Good.” He clears his throat, his eyes watery but no tears falling.

“And Juno? Is she …” ‘Okay’ doesn’t seem like the right word. I don’t think any of us are okay.

“She’s tough.” He nods. “She’ll be fine.”

I can hear the lie in his tone, and I wonder if he can, too. I wonder if he’s lying to himself the same way he’s lying to me.

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