Page 17 of Brush with Death
He could protect Cyril from the world, but he couldn’t protect Cyril from himself.He wouldn’t want to force Cyril to do or not do anything, anyway.He could ask Cyril to be careful and to think of himself first, but it wouldn’t work.The way Cyril cared so much about everyone and was always willing to help were two of the reasons Vale loved him as much as he did.
He just hoped that it wouldn’t be one of the reasons he’d lose Cyril—or that Cyril would lose himself.
Chapter Six
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CYRIL HADN’T BEEN ABLEto stop thinking about Sam the entire night.He still wasn’t sure what had happened because Katie hadn’t been able to give him details, but he was worried.
He was worried about Katie because she clearly needed him, and he didn’t know if he’d be able to help her.He was worried about himself because he knew that helping Katie would mean pushing his ability and his body in a way they probably weren’t ready for.He would be of no use to Katie if he couldn’t talk to Sam, which meant he had to at least try.
He eyed Vale, who was driving them to Katie’s house.Vale hadn’t said anything about Cyril having agreed to help Katie.He’d just asked if Sam had been his friend, and when Cyril had confirmed that he had been, he’d hugged him and told him that he was sorry for his loss.
Cyril believed that he was.He just knew there was more to it.
He could see the tension in Vale in the harsh line of his shoulders and the way he held himself.Vale knew that Cyril would help Katie and that he’d probably hurt himself in the process.Cyril had expected him to try to change his mind, but he hadn’t.Instead, he’d told Cyril that he’d drive, and that had been that.Cyril kept expecting Vale to forbid him to help, but the words weren’t coming.
He wasn’t sure what to think of that.He knew that Vale cared about him and that he didn’t want him to do this, yet he hadn’t asked him to take a step back.What did that mean?
“She’s going to ask me to reanimate Sam,” he murmured.
“I think so,” Vale agreed.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it, but I want to try.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“You’re not going to tell me not to do it?”
Vale sighed and turned his blinker on.“Would it change anything if I did?I know you’re going to agree to help her whatever I say, Cyril.Do I want you to try to reanimate Sam?Of course not.You’re still healing, and I don’t want you to get worse or be in pain.You know what’s at stake, though, and you know your body better than anyone, even me.If you decide to do this, I’ll support you.I can’t forbid you to do or not do anything, and I don’twantto.”
Cyril didn’t know what he’d done to be so lucky.He hadn’t known what to think of Vale when they’d first met, especially after he’d realized that Vale killed people for a living, but he was glad he’d allowed the man into his life.He didn’t know where he’d be if it weren’t for Vale.Dead, probably.
“I won’t force it,” he promised.“I don’t know what’s happening with my ability, and I don’t want to risk losing it completely.I also don’t want to get another headache when I barely recovered from the first.I do want to try to help, though.Sam wouldn’t have gone near the lake.He was wary of the water and what was in it.”
“Thalassophobia.”
“I don’t know.Isn’t that only for the ocean?”
“I have no idea, but if you say that he didn’t like the lake, then yeah, he probably wouldn’t have drowned in it unless someone got him in there.Thereissomething weird happening here.I’m not saying he was killed, but it would be worth investigating.”
“I think so.I want to find out what happened to Sam.If it was an accident, I want him to be at peace, but what if it wasn’t?”
Vale glanced at Cyril.“Do you haveanyreason to think it wasn’t an accident?”
“Apart from the fact that he drowned in a lake?Not really.”Not yet.Cyril wasn’t sure he’d be able to talk to Sam, but if he could, he had no doubt he’d find out this hadn’t been accidental.He didn’t know what he’d do about it, but he could think about it once he had something more concrete.
He hoped he would get answers.He needed them.Katieneeded them, and Sam deserved them.
Cyril wasn’t surprised to see that Katie was a mess when they got to the house where she’d lived with Sam.She opened the door already crying, and she cried harder when Cyril pulled her into his arms.They weren’t extremely close, but he liked Katie, and he’d liked Sam.If there was anything he could do for either of them, he wanted to do it.
Right now, that was comforting Katie.He guided her toward the living room, helped her sit on the couch, and sat with her while Vale disappeared into the kitchen.He trusted his boyfriend, so he didn’t pay attention to what Vale was up to and kept his focus on Katie.
It took her a moment to stop crying, and Cyril held her through it as he looked around the room.The sleek glass coffee table was laden with empty coffee cups, glasses, and used tissues, which told Cyril that Katie had probably spent the night on the couch.The small plant at the center of the table had seen better days, and he made a mental note of watering it before he left.
His gaze caught on the pictures on the wall to the right.Most of them were of Katie and Sam, sometimes together, sometimes on their own or with friends.There was even a picture of Cyril there.He remembered when it had been taken, but it felt like a dream.
He couldn’t believe that he’d never see Sam again, and they hadn’t even been that close.He couldn’t imagine what this was like for Katie.
