My head aches and I can feel the trickle of warmth down my neck, dripping as I try to force my body to move. The sparks of the mate bond where Merikh touches my skin with his gives me hope, knowing he is at the very least still alive. My chest burns and my stomach twists. Fear overcomes me with the very real possibility that he is gravely injured.

“Merikh,” I force out, trying to breathe under the weight of his body, but even with how close my lips are to his ears, I doubt he can hear me.

Afight rages on behind him. Fire, water and shades of varying colors light up the only portion of the wall I can see. There is no telling who is fighting with who or if it’s an all out fight to the death since the protective order of the council is now over, at least for several members.

“Colette!” My name breaks through the room, my father’s voice calling to me, panic lacing through every syllable.

“I’m here…” I cry out, emotions overwhelming me the longer Merikh remains motionless.

“Take cover!” He roars, his voice coming closer as a rumbling resonates through the room, and I look up, massive scaly tail swipes away the ceiling and rooms above us. watching as a Lumber and drywall clatter down over me, but nothing lands on us as a silver-colored barrier appears overhead. I blink at the debris as it bounces off the shield before it shivers and drops, only dust littering down over us. Suddenly, Merikh rolls off of me and I gasp for a full breath of air, clattering across the singed carpet floor to him and cupping his face.

“Merikh…” I whisper, begging him to open his eyes. Tears fall like a cascading wave down my cheeks and onto his face as I heave, trying like hell to compose myself.

“Are you okay?” I feel a hand on my shoulder but I ignore it, not caring who is talking to me. After a moment, they leave me, their footsteps retreating, but I don’t look to see who it was. The only thing that matters is Merikh, unconscious and hurt.

“Merikh, wake up.” I blubber through s o b s.

I can hear things being tossed about behind me, furniture clattering and people screaming something incoherent. But I can’t spare them a glance or even a moment. I can’t bear to look away from his face, the face that makes it look like he is in a completely comfortable slumber and not potentially in deaths grips.

“Luna!” breaks through the room and I recognize it as Hayes. I look up to see him as he scrambles toward us, landing on the other side of Merikh. His eyes meeting mine, looking for answers. “What the f u c k happened?”

“H-he jumped in front of me.” I try to explain, but I can’t completely recall it all as Merikh was in front of me before I could even register what the hell was happening. Hayes places his hand on his brother’s chest, running it over his body, looking for the wound that has Merikh looking so close to death. Then looks me in the eye.

“I need to push him toward you so I can look for injuries.” He tells me and I nod.

prepare to take the bulk of his weight onto me. Hayes gently shoves his brother’s shoulder toward me as he pushes him

are trained on him the entire time, watching his stony like features as they give nothing away before

eyes and I notice him avoiding looking in my direction. It must be bad if he can’t even bring himself

I ask, and

isn’t good,” he mutters. “Have you

or us…” I admit,

we need to get him out of here and somewhere I

heart thudding with painful force

need to know…” I

she licks his lips and looks down. I lean

want you to see it, not like this. Just….we need to get him out

finally turning my head to survey the

pipe, a massive section of the ceiling and stories above head missing as the sun filters in, shining through dust particles, making it look like a heavy fog

two and I feel myself growing numb. Not in the sense that I have grown cold or lost the sensation of feeling things physically. I am numb to the shock of what

is wet, dripping with dirty drops of

to surprise me. Too much has

voice. It’s Caspian, a

him stands and helps him up. and I finally feel a little tension release from my

bite my lip, shaking my head and shrugging. There is no way I can say the words ‘I don’t know’ without sobbing.

then landing on Merikh. Her face instantly goes cold, like she is hiding all emotion as she rushes and

me, but all I can see is the

need to

reaching down and grabbing a shoulder. Hayes stands, grabbing the other side and the two of them hoist him, his body dangling between the two of

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