Page 153 of Sky’s Edge

My heart was squeezing so hard, it was a wonder it was beating, but I forced myself to say, “Okay. I’m here. I’m safe. You go do what you have to do. I know where the medi-unit is. Is Manny there?”

“Yes.”

“Go,” I urged. “Nayden is with me.”

He glanced at Nayden. He bent to touch his mouth to mine. Then he took my hand and guided us inside.

He stopped and said, “See to Hurley?”

I nodded.

“Stay with Catla,” he ordered Hurley.

Hurley whined but sat down beside me.

With another glance at Nayden, he prowled off.

I turned to Nayden and said, “Let’s go.”

I didn’t wait for him.

I snapped my fingers at Hurley and took off toward the castle’s medi-unit.

Some time later, curled in an uncomfortable chair outside Zyra’s pod with Hurley, Tanyn strode in.

I unfolded and hopped to my feet at the same time Hurley jumped down and ran to his daddy.

Hurley got a loving but perfunctory head pat before Tanyn walked to me, and I took no offense that his attention wasn’t on me but on the window into the pod.

But when he got to me, I wrapped both arms around his waist, pressed my front to his side, felt his arm curl around my shoulders, and we both looked into the pod.

Manny was sprawled in a chair like mine beside Zyra’s medi-case.

They were both asleep.

“Broken hip, femur and shoulder,” I whispered. “Massive concussion. Third degree burns along her right side. But the prognosis is good, honey. She’s already speed-healing. She’ll need to be encased until morning. Moved to a bed for a day or two, mostly, they say, for observation. She’ll do some PT during that time too. And then she should be back on her feet.”

I felt his lips on my hair before I heard him murmur, “I’ll be back.”

He went into the pod and stood over Zyra’s case for long moments before moving to a closet, unearthing a folded blanket and going to Manny.

I watched, my heart melting as he carefully covered Mangold, cast one last look at Zyr then exited the pod.

“I need sleep,” he announced.

I wanted to know what was going on.

“Then let’s get you to bed,” I said.

We walked, silent, to his chamber, Hurley trotting at Tanyn’s side.

The journey was long.

His vibe was off, unsurprisingly, though I felt his exhaustion and his worry.

Though, as for the priorities…

Manny was fine. Zyra would be fine.