Page 11 of Hell's Storm

She softens. “He was one of my dearest friends. Your brothers are staying with me while you get your shit together.”

A gasp leaves my throat. I had forgotten about Killian and how he must feel. “Are they okay?”

She nods. “Killian is worried about you and is… sad.”

My heart tightens. “I need to go see him.”

She shakes her head. “See him again when you are ready. Right now, you need to take care of yourself. Are you ready to wake up?”

I let out a sigh. “Why? So, I’m alone? Dad is dead. Fenric…”

She rubs my hair. “You are never alone. Do you want to see why?” When she holds her hand, I stare at it. I feel alone, and I don’t know much that can change that feeling. In a huff, I take her hand.

My eyes open to the real world, and I see the palm of someone’s hand over my eyes and the lady from my dream’s voice whispering a spell. Heat washes over me, making me groan and twist in pain.

“Stay still,” she mutters.

“You,” I grumble back. I’m so passive-aggressive as if I’m not going to do it. The intense heat my body feels suddenly disappears, making me let out a breath of air I didn’t know I was holding.

“There. You should be able to handle the Flame, but you must be able to keep yourself calm. If you get angry again, the spell will be broken, and you will heat up again. This is a temporary solution.”

Slowly, my hands are getting some feeling back as I run them across the silky blanket. A groan escapes my mouth as I sit up.

“Careful,” Hazen advises, reaching out to me, but his hands don’t touch me. I look over at him. He looks like a mess, eyes red and puffy, curls wild. He was waiting for me. I glance around, seeing Ledger, Ryker, Jigsaw, Khazon, Ozias, and even Inarian sitting around the basement I was in.

“You guys… all waited for me?”

Hazen adjusts my blanket, so I’m not exposed so much. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t we? You needed us.”

My eyes meet his. I would never admit to needing them. I would never admit to needing someone more than them needing me. It made me feel slightly less alone to know they were all waiting for me.

“How are you, darling?” Persephone asks, sitting on the bed.

I glance down at the flames covering my arms—the ones I used to admire on my father. “Fine. Sweaty.”

“Yeah. Let’s get you into the shower, darling. Ozias, be a dear and go run the bath.” Ozias nods at his mother’s command. Our eyes meet as he starts up the stairs of the cellar. So, we are in Hades’s palace, not at the hospital, or… Ryker’s blue lagoon.

My eyes move to Ryker, and we lock eyes. I remember our intimate moment together and how he made me feel safe. That was the last time I was conscious.

“At least we know he didn’t take advantage of her,” Ledger mutters from the corner.

“What?” My head snaps to him.

“Nothing,” he says, pushing from the cellar wall and walking up the stairs. “Glad you’re okay right now, princess.”

My brows bounce. “I can tell,” I say with sarcasm that he ignores.

Hazen sighs before placing a hand on my thigh over the covers. “Are you hungry?”

I can’t tell right now. I didn’t feel exactly like eating, but I nod. Hazen might feel better if he does something for me.

“I’ll see what Hades will let me make for you.” His bright blue eyes drop to my lips before he stands and follows Ledger up the stairs. Jigsaw follows without a word, leaving me to think now something is wrong.

“Why is everyone acting weird?” I ask Ryker.

He just shakes his head, telling me not to worry about it. After a few minutes, Persephone guides me up the stairs, Ryker is behind me to catch me if I fall. My body is so weak, and the mage, Agnus, said I’d get weak. She also explained that she would have to go home and figure out a spell to help the Flame and I bond more, but it would take time. What she did to me was temporary. At the top of the stairs, I falter, out of breath.

Hands grab my waist, and I almost think it’s Ryker until I feel they’re icy cold. Glancing over, I see Inarian holding me. His dark eyes lock on me. “Don’t—”

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