Aiden sighed. “I guess so,” but he didn’t sound as if he really believed it.
“Look, Ian’s gone with Nehela, and the only class you have left is band. Mr. Thomas won’t care if you go home and get some rest and food. You don’t look like you’ve really done either since you woke up. You’re looking like the walking dead, and you have to admit, you’re still trying to finish healing as well. If you don’t, you’re just going to end back up in the room beside her. I’ve seen you limping from time to time. Recover your own strength, Aiden. I highly doubt the world’s going to stop turning just because you take a damn nap.”
Aiden laughed for the first time in at least a month. “You might be right.”
Philip grinned, pleased to see some life in his friend’s face. “Might be?”
“Okay, okay. You’re right. Thanks, Knight.” Philip helped him to his feet, then steadied him as he wobbled. “This damn leg,” Aiden swore, rubbing the dull ache he felt in his thigh.
“At least you still have it,” Philip reminded him. “And what do you think brothers are for? You sure you’re going to be okay? I think Ian would have my head if you did something stupid right now.”
Aiden nodded. “For the first time since I woke up, I really think so.” Philip told him to call if there was anything he needed. “I will.” He made his way to the band room, and Philip watched him trying to keep the limp out of his walk before shaking his head and getting to his own class.
He asked to speak to Mr. Thomas, and the director closed the door behind them. “I heard about the fight. How’s Nehela?”
“I don’t know yet. Ian went with her, and he’s supposed to text me as soon as he finds out anything, though I’m sure she’ll be fine. It’s going to take more than that little blade to put that elf down. Universal has some amazing Healers,” Aiden said.
Mr. Thomas nodded. “That they do. Still no difference in Mickala?”
“None, yet, but the Healers are confident she’ll wake up. It’s just not going to be until she’s ready.”
The former Bard laughed. “From what I know, the princess is very stubborn. It’ll be on her time and not a minute sooner. What about you? How do you feel?”
“Some days are better than others,” he admitted. “It being the stormy season isn’t helping any. When it rains, it hurts like hell.”
“You look exhausted, and you’re losing weight,” the Elagonian observed.
Aiden shrugged. “I’ve not had much of an appetite, and I can’t seem to sleep for more than an hour or so at night. I know EJ has to be sick of my pacing the apartment. Philip told me I looked like the walking dead.”
“He’s not far off the mark. You can’t keep burning the candle at both ends. Eventually, there’s nothing left,” Mr. Thomas said wisely, then jerked his chin toward the door. “Go home, get some rest. I give you my word, Aiden. Princess Mickala will wake when she’s ready.” Aiden hesitated, and Mr. Thomas frowned. “That’s an order, Miller.”
“Yes, sir.” He gave a half smile as he stood. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
* * *
Aiden left and got in Mickala’s Lexus. Somehow, even after all this time, it still smelled like her. He went up the tree-lined lane, and he saw the Dellings standing at the fence. EJ and Aiden had called a few weeks before and had the rubble cleared away. Aiden rubbed Adelaide’s neck, the massive black head hanging sadly. It’ll be okay, Aiden sighed. At least, that’s what Philip and everyone else keep saying. I guess we just have to believe it’s true.
I know, the Delling’s deep voice came back to him. I just have to make myself believe it. Thunder rumbled as another afternoon storm came rolling in, and Aiden winced at the stabbing pain in his leg. Go on, weather predictor, Adelaide laughed, nudging him toward the barn. Get inside before you can’t get up the stairs.
Titus playfully nipped his sleeve, seconding Adelaide’s order. It’s about time you listened to some sense, brother, Titus told his connected. Now, get something to eat and some sleep. Before it rains.
Aiden laughed mentally, even as a drop of rain landed on his hand. “All right, all right. I’m going. I’ll be back later.” The rain started coming down even harder, and it made the ache in his leg worsen so much he could hardly hobble up the stairs to the large apartment overhead.
EJ was up, and it shocked him to see Aiden coming in the doorway. “You’re home early,” he said, looking at his watch.
“I got sent home by a Bard who threatened to sic the Healers on me,” he said disgruntled, tossing his bag on the couch. “Apparently, everyone thinks I look like a damn zombie.”
EJ laughed. “They’re just now telling you that?”
“It’s been that bad?”
“You just weren’t ready to listen, Aid. Are you hungry?”
“Believe it or not, for the first time in a long time, I’m starving,” he admitted.
“Good.”
EJ got them some lunch together, and as they ate, Aiden told him about the fight at school. “Ian sent a text when I was on the way home and said she was fine. They just wanted to keep her overnight to make sure she doesn’t get any infection.”
EJ shook his head, the corners of his mouth turned in disgust. “Of all people, Trey chose that psycho bitch. Why, I’ll never know.”
“He knew it was Mickala’s best friend, and so, it would hurt her more,” he said.
“Well, I’m just glad Nehela’s going to be okay, and Kira’s stupid ass is finally out of the picture.” He put their plates up, then pointed to the room Aiden had been using. “Now, get some damn sleep. I’m going to the hospital around seven to see Mickala and Nehela. I’ll wake you up then.”
“I’m so damn tired of people telling me what to do today,” Aiden grumbled, but he went and laid down on the bed, and as soon as he got comfortable, he passed out.
* * *
He slept soundly until EJ shook him awake. “It’s almost 6:30,” he said, laughing as Aiden blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes adjusted. “You’re still coming with me, right?”
“Yeah,” he replied, then went to take a shower, which woke him up the rest of the way. His head definitely seemed to be clearer. Once he got out and dressed, they went to the hospital.
Ian was anxious by Nehela’s side, and she rolled her eyes. “He worries too much. I’m perfectly fine,” she said. “Kira couldn’t cut her way out of a wet paper bag.”
“I wish I could’ve seen it,” EJ said, shaking his head with genuine disappointment.
Ian laughed. “If it hadn’t been so serious, I would’ve loved every minute. I’ve never seen Aiden so close to killing a human. I have to admit, it was kind of refreshing to see him reach a breaking point. It makes me feel so much better knowing I wasn’t the only one who was getting ready to get her. I honestly thought she was going to piss herself.”
Aiden laughed quietly. “I didn’t realize I was that close to breaking until right then.”
They sat with her for a few more minutes, then Aiden made his way to Mickala’s room. The Healers had removed all her casts about a month ago, and there was a brace on her left ankle and knee along with one around her back. She looked as if she was asleep, just as she had for the past three months.
He took her hand and began talking to her, just as she had every day since he woke up. He thought he saw a flicker of movement on her face, and he searched it intently. “Mickala?” he whispered, and he felt a slight pressure on his hand. He gripped her tighter. “Mickala, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand twice.”
Nineteen
The Awakening
It took several moments, but he finally felt the pressure twice, and it was slightly stronger than before. He jumped up from the chair and ran to find Healer Jones. As soon as he got out what was happening, he was following the Healer as they raced through the halls. When they got back to the room, Aiden retook his seat, and they could see her eyes flickering underneath the lids.
“She’
s really coming out of it,” Aiden breathed, then kept talking to her. Her eyes suddenly flashed open, then closed against the bright lights. The Healer reached over and dimmed them slightly.
Tears were in Aiden’s eyes as Mickala tried again and he took both of her hands in his. “I’m so glad to see those amazing eyes open. They’ve been closed for too long.”
Mickala tried to speak, but her throat felt like rough sandpaper in the middle of Death Valley, and the Healer gave her a bottle of water. She drank half of it in one drink. “How long have I been here?” she asked, her voice still hoarse.
“You got here on December 21st, and it’s now March 16th,” Healer Jones said.
Her eyes were enormous. “How bad was I?”
“It was touch and go at first,” he said, then went down the list he’d given Aiden that first day. “Fortunately, almost everything’s healed now. We’ve just been waiting for you to wake up.” He checked a few things, then he left to give Mickala and Aiden some privacy.
She struggled to sit up, and Aiden helped, putting pillows behind her back. “What happened to Xiden?” he asked. It was the burning question he’d had ever since he woke up.
Mickala gave a dark laugh. “He’s long gone. The blast incinerated him. What about the house?”
“Destroyed. The barn and studio are intact. Everything else,” he trailed off, shaking his head. “EJ and I took care of it, though.”
Tears filled her eyes. “What about Victor?”
“Ian, Nehela, and Michelle had his funeral three days afterward. I didn’t make it, though. Ian, Nehela, and EJ did.”
“Why didn’t you go?”
“I was still here and unconscious myself,” he said matter-of-factly. Her eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Oh, I’m fine now. I just can tell you when it’s going to rain. Ian’s fine. He wasn’t even here two days, and they released EJ later that day with a concussion. Everyone’s okay, Mickala. I swear. We’ve just been waiting for you.”
* * *
She buried her face in her hands, allowing herself to mourn slightly for Victor. By the time she’d finished crying, her eyes were bloodshot and sore. Aiden handed her a tissue, then brushed her hair back. “Feel better?”
“A little,” she admitted.
There was a knock on the door, and Ian came in. He stopped, his eyes huge on Mickala, his mouth still hanging open from the question he was going to ask Aiden. “You’re awake.”
“No, you’re dreaming,” she replied with a grin.
He rolled his eyes, but an enormous smile formed. “You’re still a smart ass. I thought your near-death experience would have mellowed you out some.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right.” Her forehead wrinkled. “Where are you coming from?”
Ian looked at Aiden, who shrugged. “I haven’t told her about Nehela and Kira yet.”
“What are you talking about? What happened?” she demanded.
Ian instantly went into a blow by blow replay of what had happened, then into Aiden’s ultimatum, with only a slight embellishment, and obviously relishing every little detail, no matter how insignificant it might have seemed at the time. “Oh, Mickala, I wish you could have seen it. I told him, I could’ve sworn she was going to piss herself, she was so scared of Aiden. I highly doubt she’ll be fantasizing about him soon. Of course, they arrested her, and she’s charged with assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, and carrying a weapon on school property. If she’s found guilty, they said she could get up to fifteen or twenty years.”
“I want to see Nehela,” Mickala said.
Ian jumped to his feet. “I’ll go get her. I know she’s dying to see you, too.”
He raced out of the room, and Mickala looked at Aiden. “So, what’s the story?”
“Um, we were going home, and there was a really bad car accident. Your belt broke, and you were flung out of the car,” he explained.
She nodded, but didn’t have time to say anything else as Nehela burst into the room and flung herself on the bed, her arms tight around Mickala. She hugged her, and the wolf demon laughed, hugging her back. Nehela leaned back and took her friend’s face in her hands. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again. When you were fighting Xiden, you looked like you had seen death itself, and didn’t mind it so much. Don’t you ever let me see you look like that again.”
“I promise. I don’t sense anymore trouble coming soon,” she said with a sigh of relief. “So, where have you all been staying?”
“Ian and I have been staying with Chad and Philip, and Aiden’s been crashing with EJ in the barn’s apartment so he could be with the Dellings,” Nehela replied.
“I’ll start working on that in the morning.” Mickala looked at Ian and Aiden. “Can you do me a favor?”
“You know you don’t have to ask,” Ian said.
“I need a computer. Did my wallet survive?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it with your purse. You had left it in the car that day,” Aiden replied.
“Good. Take my card.” She looked at the clock and it was only 7:30. “Best Buy should still be open. I just need to connect to Wi-Fi.”
Ian said he’d go, and Aiden handed him the card she said to use before he disappeared. Nehela sat on one side of her, and Aiden sat on the other. “Did you guys really miss me that much?” she said, laughing.
Nehela laughed quietly. “More than you’ll ever know.”
“Oh, my mother!”
“Yeah, you should call her. She’s been really worried about you,” Aiden said, holding out his cell phone
* * *
It amazed Mickala at how weak she really was when her arm started trembling just from holding the small device. She dialed the number, and Michelle answered on the second ring. “Aiden? What’s wrong? Is Mickala okay?” Michelle said, her voice fast with concern.
“Momma?” Mickala said.
Aiden and Nehela both heard the older wolf demon burst into tears at the sound of her daughter’s voice. “Please, Mom, don’t cry,” Mickala said, her voice pleading, but there were tears in her own eyes. “I’m okay. Everything’s going to be okay now.”
“I’m just so glad to hear your voice,” Michelle said, drawing a shaking breath. “Travis and I will be there as soon as we catch a flight.”
“I’ll see you soon,” Mickala said, and they hung up. She leaned back with a heavy sigh.
Ian only took about fifteen minutes before he popped back in with a Best Buy bag in his hands. “The guy working said it was the best they had,” he told her.
She held out her hands in a grabbing motion. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said.
They all laughed, but before she could tear into the box, EJ came running in. “It’s about time you woke up, lazy,” he said with a grin.
She laughed. “Asshole.”
“It’s why I’m your best friend,” he replied with a shrug, then leaned over and hugged her. He kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Believe it or not, I feel pretty good. I guess it was a good thing I was out as long as I was. If I had been awake, I think I would’ve gone crazy.”
Aiden chuckled. “I think you would probably be right.”
The doctor came back in, and he asked the same thing EJ had, and she gave the same answer. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but he cut her off with a smile. “Before you even ask, we’ll have to monitor you for a couple of days, then we’ll see about letting you out. You feel like trying to stand?”
“Sure,” she replied, and he handed her a crutch for the leg that still had a brace around her knee, and she shakily got out of the bed. Not only was she weak, but she’d also lost about twenty-five pounds. It took her a couple of minutes, but she was eventually hobbling around the room. To the others, she seemed to get stronger with each passing second. “Okay, I have another question. When do you think I’ll be able to get something to eat? I’m starving.”
“Would you like something from the kitchen, or would you
rather let Aiden and Ian get you something?” the Healer asked. Mickala ended up opting for a snack from the cafeteria while Aiden popped into Hardee’s for a burger, McDonald’s for French fries, then to Sonic for a milkshake. He was back a little later, and they laughed as Mickala dug in.
When she finished, she sighed, her eyes closed. “Better?” Nehela asked.
“Much,” she replied, returning her friend’s grin.
Aiden’s phone rang, and it was Chad. “Hey, I was just fixing to call you.” Chad asked where he was at. “I’m at the hospital talking to Mickala and Nehela,” he said, keeping his tone casual and nonchalant.
There was a long silence, and Aiden laughed. “Wait. You just said Mickala’s awake?” Chad asked slowly. Aiden said yes. “We’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
It only took them fifteen, and Mickala had to laugh as they came tearing into the room. “What did you do? Break ever speed limit between Atlanta and Milton?”
“And ran few red lights,” Philip said with a huge grin, and the two brothers hugged her gently.
“Aww, you all make me feel so loved,” she said, and they heard her honesty.
Ian laughed. “And you are.”
* * *
She was still wide awake two and a half hours later when Michelle and Travis came running in. EJ had just enough warning to duck out of the room before Travis saw him. Aiden and the others also left for a minute, and Philip raised an eyebrow at Michelle. It took Ian everything he had not to laugh, and Chad gave a low whistle once they got outside. “Damn. That’s her mother?” Aiden nodded. “She looks like she could be an older sister.”
Philip grinned at the fox demon. “Well, at least you know Mickala’s still going to hot as hell when she gets older.” They all laughed.
Everyone stayed until well after the normal visiting hours were over, and it was almost one in the morning before Aiden and Ian reluctantly left. The Healers had to talk Nehela into going back to her own room. Mickala, however, was wide awake, and she began researching for contractors, looking through blueprints online so she could get started on rebuilding her house, only the way she wanted.
Releasing the Demons: Solarian Chronicles II Page 17
