Page 33 of Mountain Summons

“Tristan?” Lorenz was beside him in an instant.

Tristan wanted to answer, to let him know he was okay, but he was dizzy now, his balance off. Heat was building in his gut, deep and … wrong. He pressed a hand to his right side, where the pain was sharpest, and saw stars. An actual constellation of them.

Lorenz must’ve seen something in his face because his expression shifted to alarm.

“Sit down, Tristan. Sit before you fall over.”

That would have been the clever thing to do, but it was too late. Tristan’s legs gave out, and the world tilted sideways once again.

14

Lena

One of the things Lena loved most about her father’s house was the huge fireplace, which served to separate the living area from the dining area, and could be seen from both rooms.

Tonight it roared comfortingly from behind the layer of glass. Unfortunately, it also made her feel sleepy as hell. Not that it took much to make her feel sleepy these days. She was about ready to go to bed when her father’s phone rang from the kitchen, where he was pouring himself a post-dinner coffee—her father was immune to caffeine. He set the mug down as he reached for his phone.

His posture changed immediately.

Straightened. Tensed.

His voice dropped to that low, authoritative tone she knew all too well.

Something’s wrong.

Lena stood up as well, all thoughts of sleep forgotten, every nerve in her body suddenly on edge.

Her father spoke in short, clipped sentences. “Where? … How bad? … ETA?” A pause. And then a word that made her stomach drop. “And Devallé?”

Her father turned slightly, rubbing a hand down his face. “Understood. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

Lena grabbed onto the edge of the sofa, her knuckles turning white.

She didn’t think she’d heard the word, but somehow she already knew.

A crash.

A helicopter crash.

And she knew also, before she even asked, before her father could say another word, who had been in that helicopter.

“It’s Tristan, isn’t it? Tell me what happened.”

Her father barely looked up as he grabbed his coat. “Lena—” Then he seemed to think better of it. “One of our helicopters crashed in the mountains. Three of my men were in it. Lieutenant Devallé was one of them.”

“Is he?—“

“They’re all alive, for now, and on their way to the hospital.”

Her body trembled.For now.

“I’m coming with you.” Her voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.

Her father exhaled through his nose. “No.” His voice softened. “You’re still recovering, Lena, and there’s no?—“

“From a sprained ankle, not a heart attack,Papa.” She ignored the clenching of his jaw. “He saved my life out in the mountains?—”

“This isn’t about you.” .

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