Page 74 of Midnightsong
His sides contracted, reminding him he was quickly bleeding out. The adrenaline faded, leaving Kaden’s wounds throbbing and burning and his head growing light.
He had to go. He was dying. His own hand flying to the deep wounds in both his sides, he resumed his path toward the palace.
His front and sides of his abdominal region pulsated and throbbed, and he was leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Predatory hushas drifted over his head, following his scent, and he could only hope they went for the dead diver first.
Bright flashes exploded in his vision and his head grew light. He kept moving, even if he wanted nothing more than to quit and go limp.
The palace came into view and he pushed himself forward. The infirmary. He needed to go to the infirmary.
The ambient sounds around him grew duller and his heartbeat sounded in his ears.
His arms, abdominal, and back were sore, his movements weaker and weaker. With his slashed, useless dorsal fin, he fought constantly to stay balanced and maintain his forward swimming momentum.
Kaden’s consciousness was leaving him, and his pulse rang loud, and desperate.
His mind spun and spun like a raging maelstrom.
He reached the infirmary entrance and one final thought entered his mind.
Angie. He still held onto hope she would contact him. She wouldn’t know what happened and may never reach him again.
He sent a silent message to Angie to forgive him. That he would wait for her. He would always wait for her.
A husha’s heterocercal tail and triangular fin appeared in his peripheral vision.
His consciousness drifted into the great dark beyond.
The sea’s icy embrace enveloped him in a comforting caress and he let himself give in.
Thirty-Two
Angie
A text came in from Leothe next morning, and Angie pulled herself away from midterm studying to check. Now that the creation of their petition and social media posts were in motion, her mind was at ease and she could focus.
Leo: Hey Angie. I’m on my way. Be there in 10.
They agreed to meet at a boba tea café on Mercer Street, where they occasionally stopped by with Reesa for a snack or to study. It had been months since she had bubble tea, and she racked her mind for what she’d order. Angie gently ushered Lulu off her lap, and the cat tried, and failed, to protract her claws and cling onto Angie’s jeans. She yowled as Angie set her on her four feet.
“Be back in a bit.” Angie patted her cat’s head and made her way to the shop.
Leo was already inside the Asian-owned café when she arrived, and he waved at her, a sheepish smile on his face that didn’t reach either cheek. Angie sat across from him. “Um, hey. Thanks for meeting me here. Thought it would be better if we chatted outside of school.” He jumped to his feet, appearing jittery, once she sat. “What do you want? Any snacks?”
“I’ll go with you.” Angie rose to a stand, but he shook his head.
“I got it. Let me, okay? It’s the least I can do for you to come all the way here to hear me out.” He took a deep breath, incessantly spinning his wedding band around his finger.
“Sure, if you insist. I’ll take a strawberry milk tea with bubbles and soy milk, and an egg tart.” Her stomach made a happy dance at the thought of the treats.
They would help her get through whatever Leo wanted to say. She had a feeling that, if he asked her to meet him here and talk in-person, it would be something serious.
“Soy milk?” Leo cocked an eyebrow at her.
“I’m lactose intolerant.”
He gave her a thumbs up and returned minutes later with her bubble tea and egg tart, and a prosciutto, arugula, and cheese sandwich and café mocha for himself.
“Alright, I know I owe you an explanation about my behavior with our project.” A tendril of sweat crawled down his forehead and cheek, and he took a bite of his sandwich.
