“Any news?”
“They just took her in,” Caden replied.
“Do we know what the damage is?”
He shook his head. “It was a lot of yelling, so it’s probably not good.” Tears decorated his lower lashes.
I yanked him into a hug. “She’s going to be okay.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“She survived a tiger. She can survive this.”
Waiting was a fucking nightmare, but we had no other option.
I probably should have checked on Yelena at some point. She had to be losing it up in her room, but I couldn’t make myself go further than the dining hall. She had Haru to comfort her, and Kendrick had his claimants. Maybe Seth and Caden thought I was an interloper, hovering around their grief and fear, but every second that passed with the possibility of Logan leaving this world twisted me up in a way I hadn’t expected.
Living full-time in a nest had gotten me used to constant change. Relationships were transient at best; friends came and went. We had a few long-term residents, but they were a small percentage of those here. It was possible I had gotten too used to letting people go. I had never considered fighting for someone before.
It seemed cruel of the fates to make me consider that when they were holding Logan’s threads of life between their fucking scissors.
I nibbled one of the cookies Florencia had left us hours ago to fuel my pacing. Caden kept his arm around Seth, the younger panther looking like he was one breath away from a full-blown panic. The elder wasn’t much better but at least had the benefit of not having to feel Logan’s pain.
Deep breaths.
I choked on the swell of panic.
Deep fucking breaths.
Everything about this was ridiculous. I was pretty sure the monster at our gates didn’t have any specific intelligence, but if it had any goal to destroy us from within, it was doing a damn good job.
Kendrick and Yelena had been dancing around each other for years. He was a button pusher at the best of times but her control had never slipped before. I probably would have slipped too if I was bonded to the witch. I was already protective of her and a bond would make it a million times worse.
I poured more juice, forcing another glass on the panthers.
Laila and my other girls came to check on me, their arms wrapping around me. They were temporary too. Every single one of them had plans to leave, would have already been gone if we hadn’t been put on lockdown.
“How is she?” Laila asked.
“Still alive. That’s all we know.”
“You should sleep,” said Kelly.
“I don’t think I could even if I wanted to.”
Tessa kissed my cheek. “We brought you a blanket and slippers. Might as well be comfortable while you’re waiting.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re sure we can’t entice you to rest?” Melanie asked.
“Later,” I promised. “If Logan doesn’t survive, we have to be ready for a mass evacuation.”
“Shit,” Tessa breathed. “I’ll go pray harder that the gods don’t take her.”
“Can’t hurt.” I sighed, accepting the blanket and slippers from them, slipping the former over my shoulders and latter onto my feet. They were a small comfort and made me feel a little better.
Shakti checked in after my girls left. “People are nervous. Everyone is contained, at least. Kitchen, library, and medical are the only ones working right now. I have Margaret going around with her library cart for the people who had no entertainment in their rooms.”
