Page 81 of Quiet
“Outside too.” Fiona added. “Is he okay?”
Another hand, also large and wonderfully warm, patted his cheek until Isa frowned and made a small, disgruntled noise. He needed to sleep.
“He’ll be okay, I think.” Briar’s voice rumbled close to Isa’s ear. Was he in Briar’s lap? He wanted to get up, but starlight held him tight, dragging him further into oblivion.
“He’s hurt inside, though. So much hurt.” Marie’s voice was barely audible now, but Isa was able to detect a hint of sadness.
“We’ll help, Briar. Anything you two need—just ask.”
“Thanks, Fiona. I will.” Isa felt the world move. “I need to put him in bed.”
“Of course, love. We’ll be here.”
Isa felt cool lips touch his forehead before the starlight took him completely.
Chapter30
Isa
Everything was softness and shimmering starlight for a long time. Isa may have dreamed, he wasn’t sure. Every now and then, the softness stepped back and allowed Isa to wallow in something warm, wonderful, and very muchhis. Each time the softness receded, Isa’s skin sang, and he fought to stay. Even if only for another moment.
Please softness, just one more minute with him.
The softness didn’t listen. Instead, it tugged at him, pulling him down deeper and deeper until Isa himself was soft enough to begin dissipating into nothing. He didn’t want to go, didn’t want to be nothing, he wanted . . . something. But he was having a hard time remembering what that something was.
The softness grew dimmer the further down he was pulled. He was no longer warm and happy. He was growing cold. How could he be cold? Did he even have a body?
Wait. Where was he? What was happening?
There was something—no. There was someone he was supposed to be with right now. Someone he could feel through the layers of softness and fog. Someone who was desperately trying to get him back.
Briar.
Briar was calling to him. He needed Isa to come back now.
Why? Isa couldn’t think in the soft place. It wasn’t for thinking. Only softness. But he needed to get to Briar. Whatever was happening right now was freaking him out badly, and Isa needed to be there for him.
He began to struggle in earnest now, fighting to follow the faint pull of Briar’s panic and fear. After an unknowable amount of time passed, the softness finally parted enough to allow Isa through. This time, Isa would stay. He couldn’t go back, not when he was so desperately needed. “Briar!”
Isa shoved himself up before his eyes opened. When they did, he was seeing two of everything, and the world did a sickening little spin. Before he could tip over, strong hands pulled him against a firm chest.
A swirl of relief, fear, and love poured through Isa in waves, and he clung to it and Briar, anchoring himself in the waking world. He couldn’t go back to the soft place. He needed to stay here.
It was calling to him, pulling at him, and he pressed his face against Briar’s chest to ground himself.
“Don’t let me go back,” Isa said through clumsy lips. “Don’t wanna sleep anymore.”
“I won’t. I’ll keep you here.” Briar promised. He pulled Isa away to look at him, peering into his eyes and rubbing Isa’s arms and hands vigorously. His green eyes were dark with worry.
The softness relaxed its grip on him as Briar worked to bring life back to Isa’s numb limbs.
His exposed skin was bright red—far more so than the small bit of rubbing Briar was doing right now warranted.
“What happened?” He blinked hard to clear his vision, but everything was still blurry around the edges.
“You took a nosedive after you connected us back to Briar,” a voice said from the floor. Isa had to squint to make out Marie sitting on a pillow next to Briar’s bed.
“I thought you were asleep at first, but then you got cold. Your skin felt like it was frozen,” Briar said, pulling a blanket up around Isa’s shoulders. That was when he realized exactly how freaking cold he was. No wonder everything was so numb.
