Page 57 of Harbinger
Atropos, Kes, and Orena stood around the bed. Their eyes glowed brightly as they poured their divine energy into Morgan, their consciousness momentarily suppressed.
Horror drenched Cassius in a cold sweat. He swallowed a sob.
Morgan looked haggard where he lay lifeless in the bed. His once full cheeks were sunken and dark circles rimmed his eyes. His hair had gone gray in places and wrinkles furrowed the skin on the backs of his hands.
“His condition deteriorated three hours ago,” Victor told Cassius in a flat voice.
Morgan’s eyelids fluttered open. He turned his head slowly and peered sightlessly in Cassius’s direction.
“Is that you, Cassius?” he croaked.
Cassius could tell that he’d gone blind. The agony that wrapped around his heart filled his ears with a loud buzz. He was barely aware of unleashing his full demigod form or the radiance that bathed the room as he approached the bed.
“Yes.” He clasped Morgan’s hand, climbed onto the mattress, and settled next to him, his soul leaden with grief. “I’m back.”
Relief drained what little color remained in Morgan’s face.
“Thank the Gods,” he breathed. “Sorry, it looks like I might have something in my eye.”
Cassius gently took him in his arms. “I can see that.”
Movement at the side of the bed drew his gaze. Tisiphone had taken up position next to Atropos, her face wet with tears. Her brow furrowed as she focused her divine energy into the stream pouring into Morgan’s body.
“Hmm.” Morgan burrowed his face in Cassius’s chest. “You smell nice.”
Cassius bit his lip hard to stop the wretched sound that threatened to leave him. “So do you.”
Morgan chuckled weakly. “Liar.”
He grimaced in the next instant, the act seemingly causing him pain.
“Hush, my love.” Cassius’s silent tears soaked into Morgan’s hair as he cradled his head. “You need to rest.”
“’Kay,” Morgan mumbled sleepily. “Stay with me?”
“Always.” Cassius swallowed the lump in his throat. “I will never leave your side again.”
He didn’t know when they fell asleep. Nor did he care.
The only thing that mattered to him was the pulsing thread that connected his and Morgan’s soul cores. It synchronized with their heartbeats as they entered a deep slumber, steady and bright and strong.
As long as it was still present, he would not lose hope.
26
Atropos closedthe bedroom door gently behind her.
Theo rushed over from the direction of the kitchen. “Are they okay?”
His eyes were red from crying and his lips dry from chewing them.
“Yes.They’re sleeping.”
Victor turned from where he was standing in front of the glass wall overlooking the terrace. “Did you manage to stabilize Morgan’s soul core?”
Though his tone was calm, Atropos didn’t miss his clenched fists or the darkness dulling his eyes.
She hesitated. “For now.”
