Page 28 of Fated Exile

The inside of the moon sickness compound is depressingly white-washed and free of personality. There's an airlock just on the other side of the door, followed by a heavily reinforced lobby area. The hallway Niall leads us down has no windows, and the rooms we pass are lackluster and more than a little dusty.

"I was only able to get this place cleaned up enough for one resident," Niall says apologetically as I eye a room beyond a door broken off its hinges. It looks like the furniture on the other side was pulverized by a large machine. I would think Bastian did it if not for the thick layer of dust on the furniture and mildew clinging to the bathroom. "Apparently, when the pack decided they no longer needed this place, no one thought to come through and clean things up. It's fallen to pretty bad disrepair. I made sure to give Bastian one of the nicest rooms, though, and one of the nurses at the home around the corner brought some old furniture by. Still, it's... not exactly cozy."

Despite Niall's warning, I'm still taken back when we arrive in the room Bastian slept in last night. The large door is propped open by a cinderblock. On the other side, white concrete walls and a stark linoleum floor have no character. Two fluorescent lights overhead blare down at everything, wiping out all shadows and revealing every nook and cranny of the room.

There's a single, small desk with nothing on it, a carved wooden dresser covered in floral designs that's too feminine for a man, and a small full-sized bed with a single pillow and a grey blanket thrown over it.

My heart squeezes to see Bastian sitting perched at the edge of the mattress, his feet bare, his hands loosely chained to the metal frame of the bed, which is bolted down. He’s never looked more like a prisoner before, even in the arena.

In a low voice Niall murmurs, "He insisted on being restrained. I thought it best to go along, to keep him happy."

Behind us, Lance clears his throat. "Has he even gotten to use the restroom?"

"Of course." Niall sounds affronted. "I checked up on him four times after dropping him off, to make sure he was comfortable as he could be."

None of that changes the situation he's in, though. Dragging his eyes up from the linoleum floor, Bastian looks over at us and gives a tremulous smile. My heart aches to see him chained up like this—just as much a captive as he was when I met him. Though it may be his will this time, that doesn't change how much it hurts him.

"I'm going to try to help you out again," I tell him, grabbing the desk chair and pulling it over to the bed so I can face him at eye level. "Whatever this darkness is, we're going to figure it out. Together."

There's despair in Bastian's eyes. He looks up at me, a curtain of dark hair falling over his face. "The last time you tried, Delilah, you didn't even have a chance. What makes you think this time will be any different?"

I open my mouth to tell him, only to realize I don't have an answer. At first, that is. Then I pull out my phone, and spot a missed call from the clinic. The voicemail transcript lets me know that they called to say that Kerry has been cleared for discharged, and whenever I'm ready, I can come pick her up.

Ideas form in my head, milling around restlessly. I grab my earbuds and put them in my ears, then hit the call back button on the voicemail. As the phone rings, I reach out to slip my hands into Bastian's, ignoring the rattle of the chains around his wrists.

"This time, my aunt is going to help me," I tell him, squeezing his fingers. "She's a witch. If anyone knows how I can keep myself safe while facing off against this dark presence inside you, she knows, I'm sure of it."

At least, I hope. The urgent care clinic picks up the phone and can direct my call to Kerry's room. When she answers, she sounds bright and cheery, which is a relief given the state she was in when we found her deep in the caves.

"Delilah! My delightful niece."

"Kerry. You sound good."

"I feel good, too. What's up? You're not calling just for nothing. My spidey senses are tingling."

"Are those real?"

"Sometimes, for us weavers."

"You caught me." I swallow, wishing that I didn't have to ask her for this kind of help so soon. We barely met, and instead of catching up we're dealing with death blows, supernatural threats, and mysterious mind curses. "There's someone I want to help. A... dark presence has taken over his mind. I've helped clear something similar and healed a severed mate bond before, but whatever this is, it's stronger. I need to know how I can face it, protect myself, and not cause any damage."

I watch Bastian's face as emotions slide across it. He's fearful and hopeful. Even without using my awareness, I can tell, because of the narrowing of his eyes and little frown on his mouth.

"Let me see, let me see..."

Bastian glances over at the guys, and his mouth twitches a little. I follow his gaze to find Lance giving him a hard-eyed stare. Kieran and Roarke are more relaxed, but Finn looks curious and a little wary—reminding me that his and Bastian's last encounter didn't go so well.

"Aunt Kerry, give me a sec." I mute the call so I can face the guys and talk to them without her overhearing. "You lot aren't helping any by hovering. There's nothing you can do in here—you might as well go make yourselves busy. Maybe you can help Niall clean this place up."

"Sure thing," Kieran says breezily, which is followed by Roarke nodding in assent. The two of them disappear around a corner, following the sound of distant hammering—Niall made himself scarce without my even noticing.

Finn, on the other hand, pokes a curious head in. "Mind if I stick around for just a bit? I won't make a peep. But someone should watch to make sure you don't get sucked in by the... dark presence, as you call it."

I'm opening my mouth to tell him I don't need him around when Lance cuts in. "I'll stick around. You're right, someone has to watch Delilah."

It's clear he won't budge on this. Truth is, he might have the correct instinct. It's entirely possible that I'll get lost in this spell. But Lance's frowning, brooding face is the last thing Bastian needs if he's going to open up his mind to me.

Bastian says, "Someone can stay. Just in case."

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