33. Gray

33

GRAY

E verything hurt. The moment they injected Kark into my body, I could feel it eating me alive. It was painful, like fire was coursing through my veins and for the first time in my life, I was scared to die. Soren's screams were etched in my brain and when I finally passed out, I welcomed the void.

I wasn't ready to leave. The few months I had with Oria weren't enough. Even if I had a lifetime with her, it wouldn't be enough. Just when I thought I had been blessed with a mate, I was going to leave this world.

When we sent her away, I knew that it could be the last time I ever saw her. Even when Taylin showed up, helping Laima's right hand catch us, I was still optimistic. Now that I had Kark running through my veins, I knew this was my end.

My mind was sluggish, and my body was in pain every time I woke up. I just wanted to sleep and for a moment, I thought I felt Oria with me. What I wouldn't give for one more day with her.

My body was warm, the burning receded and for once I wasn't in excruciating pain. Then I heard her voice. My eyes struggled to open when I heard her speaking again. She was here. I needed to see her.

"No!" Soren snarled. "Don't do this."

"We are not worth it, Heaven," Ryder said.

I didn't know what was happening, but I finally opened my eyes. Just looking at her made me want to cry.

I tried calling out her name, but my voice was hoarse.

This isn't the end. I love you.

I pushed myself up, feeling woozy as Oria left with Laima.

No, no, no. I shook as she left until I realized Taylin was in the room with us.

"Gray."

I looked up at Soren who had tears in his eyes.

"How." Getting out that one word was so hard.

Soren's eyes looked behind me and I realized Max was knocked out, looking worse for wear.

"They infected him too," Ryder said.

"If you had just let me take her from the beginning this wouldn't have happened," Taylin snarled, looking at us.

The air crackled with his magic.

"I had a plan and you all fucked it up," he sneered. "I should have killed you, taken Oria, but I wanted… I needed her to be willing. Fuck."

He ran his hands through his hair, looking over at his brother. His face fell, his nostrils flared while one tear fell down his cheek. He snarled before leaving us in our jail.

"How are you feeling?" Ryder asked.

I shook my head. "Better but…"

"Still infected." Soren finished my sentence.

I nodded, concentrating on turning around so I could check on Max. He was hot to the touch, his breathing was erratic and his skin was pasty. I smoothed his hair off of his swollen face and he was bleeding above his right eye.

Anger burned through me.

"What. Are. We. Doing?" I asked, hoarse and choppy.

"Nothing," Ryder said. "She made a deal with Laima to save us, but she will be imprisoned and have to keep making vials."

Sunshine, no. My heart broke. We messed up, we shouldn't have sent her away. My stomach soured. We should have stayed together. I looked up at Ryder and Soren.

"We thought we were doing the right thing," Ryder said.

He opened his mouth, but he closed it quickly before he looked away.

"We failed her," Soren said, looking up.

His jaw was clenched, his breathing was heavy as tears fell down his face.

"So, will we be free?" I wheezed.

It was silent and I thought maybe I didn't speak loud enough.

"No, we will be imprisoned with her," Ryder said.

"So, we will?—"

The door opened to the cell. Taylin came in with a scowl on his face. He pressed a lever that released Soren and Ryder on the ground.

"Your job is to get her out of here. I will take you to her and you need to get her out of here," Taylin said, handing each of us a vial of Oria. "If she imprisons her again, we will all die. You need to take her to the Fae lands to find her mother and father."

"We tried looking for them," Ryder said, uncorking the vial.

"Where did you enter?" He walked to Max.

"Death Valley," Soren said.

"I will give you a map." He knelt down by Max, turning him on to his back.

"Drink," he said, looking at me, then poured the liquid into Max's mouth.

I uncorked the vial, drinking it all.

It was different from her healing me, but within a matter of minutes, my body was almost completely healed. The Kark lingered, but I almost felt like my old self.

"Why are you helping us?" Ryder asked, walking up to Taylin, looking like he was ready to murder him.

"I had a plan to get her to safety, to get everyone to safety, but you had to show up and screw it up," Taylin snapped, looking uncomfortable. "I'm impri— Our…. Fuck! I can't say anything, I'm bound by magic."

I looked at the guys, wondering if we were going to believe him. Max gasped for air, looking around frantically.

"You!" he yelled, pushing Taylin away.

"Shut up," Taylin snapped. "We only have a few minutes before they notice I'm missing."

"I can't tell you—" His face contorted in pain.

"She spelled him to stay quiet," I said to Max.

"I was hoping hating me would make this easier," Taylin whispered. "I was selfish, entitled and I didn't know how badly I had fucked up until it was too late. You need to get her and run. Get her back to the Fae."

"We can't run, if we run, we will be running for the rest of our lives," Ryder growled.

"He's right and we couldn't find the Fae," Max said. "Oria and I had a plan in place before you came for us."

He glared at his brother.

"They are trapped, I will give you a map. We can't sit here and argue about it," Taylin snapped. "She is going to heal her and then we need to get her and you out of here. I might be able to buy you some time, but I can't know for sure."

"We wouldn't be in?—"

"Stop!" Soren snapped.

"We run now, and we can figure out something later, but we need to get to her now," I said, getting anxious. "We need to eat before we run in and get her. Oria helped, but I'm starving."

"You can eat someone on the way," Taylin snarled.

"Did Oria have that bag Soren gave her?" Ryder asked.

"She had it on her when we were captured," Max said. "She filled it up with artifacts and a few things she thought we might need to survive our attack with that potion she was talking about."

"I need that bag, Taylin," Ryder said.

"It's in the car, but?—"

"No, I need that bag; if we have any chance of surviving, we need it." Ryder stood his ground.

"Fine," he snapped, walking out of the cell.

"I don't trust him," Max said.

"I don't think any of us do," I said, as I looked at the guys. "We trust no one."

"Agreed," they all said together.

Ryder followed Taylin and I was right behind him looking around. The cells were empty until we passed a row that held Ryder's pack.

"Samira," Ryder said, spotting her and Wyman.

He was knocked out with his head on her lap.

"Ryder," she whispered, putting her hand out in between the bars.

Her eyes had dark circles, making her look more exhausted and the blood and dirt didn't make her look any better either.

"We'll get you out ok," he said, holding her hand. "I promise."

"Get her out of here and then think about getting us," she said, wincing in pain.

"I'm so sorry," Ryder said. "I thought we had more time, I didn't think they would find us so quickly."

"We don't have time for this!" Taylin yelled at us.

"Watch it," Max growled.

"Go, go get her and don't forget us," she said, kissing his hand.

Taylin stomped off in front of us.

Ryder looked reluctant, but he nodded before we caught up to Taylin.

"Why is no one here?" I asked, as we came up to what looked like the main floor.

"This is her part of the compound." Taylin walked in like he owned the place. "She hates everyone and prefers to be secluded."

"Wait here and don't fucking move," Taylin clipped, walking away from us.

He left us in an alcove, but there was nothing to hide us from anything.

"I don't like this standing around," Soren said, bouncing on his feet, studying me.

His concern was written on his face.

"I'm fine," I reassured him. "I feel good."

His green eyes looked at Max.

"I'm ok too," Max said. "We can worry about us later, but I really think we need to take care of Laima now."

"We are very unprepared," Ryder said, looking around. "If we start something, it's because we will be confident we can complete the task."

"This might be the only?—"

"And this might be the time she kills us all, chains Oria to a wall and uses her until she runs her into the ground," Ryder interrupted Max. "I won't lose her again."

No one said anything. I looked at my bond mates, each of us tormented by the last few days.

"We need to try, if not we will constantly be looking over our shoulders," I said, breaking the silence.

"Gray, no," Soren said immediately. "We can't risk it."

"When will we get another chance?" I pushed. "Look, we could get caught now or at any moment. It would be a missed opportunity."

"No, we get her, and we leave," Ryder snapped. "She might be safe with the Fae."

"That's if he's telling the truth. I think we should really think about it," Max argued. "She will always be hiding. Do we want that for her?"

Soren stared at Max, and I knew we had him.

"Ryder," Soren said, looking over at him.

"Soren, no," Ryder said, looking panicked. "I won't survive."

"We have to try, and if for whatever reason it's not looking successful, we leave right away," I said, feeling hopeful.

He clenched his jaw. "Fine-"

"Here's her bag," Taylin growled, pushing it to Max. "Now, let's go so we can get her out of here."

Static filled the air, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when Ryder growled.

I turned around to see a knife flying in the air as I stepped aside. Soren picked it out of the air, throwing it back at a man.

"What the fuck?" Taylin snarled. "Didn't she tell you to?—"

"Give her to us and you will be spared," the guy in front yelled. "We just want the girl and we will leave."

Taylin laughed.

"You think you can one up, Laima?"

"Tell us where she is!"

An enormous wolf broke through a window, landing on one of them and all hell broke loose.

Magic was hurtled across the tight space bouncing off an invisible barrier.

"Go," Taylin said, looking at us. "I'll hold them off and hurry before she finds out they've turned on her."

Two more wolves ran in and so did Katarina. She hurled magic with more ease this time around and a bit of pride swelled in my chest.

"They are with us!" Ryder said, when something flew through Taylin's barrier.

"Ok, go!" he yelled.

Max had already run down the hallway and for a moment I was worried about not finding her, but when I felt for our bond, it burned bright.

A few men had worked their way through when I ran towards them.

Call for it. I heard the familiar voice again.

I thought of the scythe, and it appeared in my hands again.

We are coming for you, Sunshine, I thought, hoping like hell she could hear me.