Page 159 of Us Defiant Few

He held her with love.

Somewhere deep in her fading mind, Khalani knew she loved him too.

She winced as a needle pierced her arm, and the sharp taste of chemicals invaded her mouth. The last thing she perceived was the man whispering in her ear to not give up. His strong arms held her closer, a silent promise that he would battle heaven itself if he lost her again.

* * *

Khalani dreamed of a majestic garden until her eyelids flickered open. The pain was gone. Only a dull, aching sensation registered in her stomach.

Khalani realized she was lying on a bed, with thick white covers wrapped around her body. The lamp standing to her right emitted a warm glow that soothed her. The room had baby-blue walls and no windows, but the temperature was comfortable.

She blinked, trying to clear her vision. Then she gasped, reaching for her stomach, but the knife was gone. Khalani gently lifted her shirt, but only a thin bandage lay over the injured area.

Who had healed her?

What had happened to Alan?

Her pulse raced, her memory foggy after being stabbed.

But when her eyes drifted, Khalani realized she wasn’t alone. Someone sat right next to her bed.

It was Takeshi.

He occupied a weathered green chair, long legs stretched out, but his eyes were closed, head slumped to the side as he slept.

Her heart clenched, the image of Alan nearly breaking his neck haunting her. She wanted to leap into his arms, but the dark circles under his eyes told her this was the first time he’d gotten rest in days.

She obsessively studied him instead. He breathed steadily, and his skin was paler than normal, but other than a fading bruise, the cuts on his face were gone.

Khalani thought she was too late to save him.

What if she was still dreaming?

What if she’d already died?

She reached over to touch him, trying to see if he was real. But he stirred.

Takeshi let out a deep groan, his long black lashes fluttering. He slowly lifted his head, glancing over at Khalani, startling when he found her awake.

“Kanes!” Takeshi jumped out of the chair like he’d been electrocuted. He rushed over and sat on the bed, careful not to jostle her as he gripped her tiny hand in both of his.

“Are you okay?” He barely breathed, speaking fast as he scanned every inch of her body. “Do I need to call the doctor back?”

“I feel fine. Better than fine,” she answered honestly and frowned. “But…how’s that possible?”

“I carried you to the medical center in Genesis,” he answered, the grief in his eyes palpable as if that moment stole decades off his life. “The injured were lining up at the doors, but I made sure the doctors treated you first. Well…threatened is the more appropriate term.” His tone was brutally honest. “They have medicine here that can heal wounds at a rapid rate, just like Hermes. But you were almost to the point of no return, with significant blood loss. It’s been seven days since they saved you. The doctor said you’d still be sore for about another week, but he promised you would make a full recovery.” Takeshi’s eyes darkened, like anything less was unacceptable.

“Seven days,” she repeated, shocked that so much time had passed. “And Alan?”

Takeshi’s grip tightened, and the temperature in the room spiked. But when Khalani gently placed her other hand on top of his, gliding her fingers over his rough skin, Takeshi inhaled a sharp breath, calming down.

“He’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“You did it, Khalani.”

She froze, afraid to say another word.