Page 56 of The Darkest Knight

The women came outside as they arrived. Tammie went straight to Niall, her eyes widening at the sight of his injuries. “Oh my god.”

Both Sabrina and Gwen studied Padriag and Liam. “What happened to y’all?”

Padriag realized they all probably looked like hell, bleeding from wolf bites, battered and bruised.

The woman from the castle, Erin, stood at the doorway, not coming closer. Her pale blue eyes scanned over him, then to the others.

Gwen peered at Niall, her eyes large with worry. “A doctor is on his way. He said it was quicker for him to come here since he was not that far.

“We should insist on a hospital instead.” Tammie replied placing her hand on Niall’s brow. “He’s awfully pale.”

Tristan shook his head. “I think we should take him inside. Let’s see what the doctor says. Niall is very strong.”

They moved Niall into the house and lay him on a bed in a guestroom on the first floor, barely getting him settled when the doctor rushed in with a nurse in tow and made them leave the room.

Padriag moved into the hallway with the others. He was ushered into the kitchen along with Liam. “We need to check your injuries. Both of you will need cleaning and bandaging.”

“I am fine. Just need a good hot shower,” Padriag said as the room seem to tilt. Next thing he knew, his face was smushed into the rug. It seemed he’d fallen face-first onto the floor.

“Ow,” he mumbled. “That hurt.”

A soft light ebbed into the edges of a swirling darkness. Niall tried to move, to see more than shades of gray, but it proved impossible. It was as if he floated, his body not truly anchored to a solid place.

Voices permeated the haze, and he tried to turn, to speak, but that too was unsuccessful

“I think we should wait and tell him once he recovers,” Liam’s voice said.

“That’s stupid, he’ll figure it out right away,” Gavin spoke next in a hoarse whisper.

“Should we tie him up first, in case he decides to get violent?” Padriag, the ass, spoke next.

“He may not take it well, but nothing can be done about it now,” Tristan stated, his tone not giving away whatever they spoke about.

Again he fought, trying to climb from whatever pit he seemed to be stuck in.

Hoping to be heard, he tried to talk.

“What are you going to tell me?” Niall croaked and immediately began coughing. It felt as if his throat was filled with sand.

Again he tried to pry his eyes open, he needed to see if it was all a perverse trick of fate. He’d died and in his afterlife had been sent back to the alter-world. In this world, all the men he’d been trapped with for decades existed.

So much for his freedom.

“Say something, somebody,” Padriag told the room. “He may as well know.”

Someone cleared his throat, and Niall finally could stand it no longer. He fought against what felt like stones on his eyelids and managed to open his eyes. The world was a blurry place, nothing was clear.

Again he tried to talk but his throat seemed to collapse, and another coughing fit began.

A cup of water was placed up to his mouth and he drank from it with greed. More was poured and he emptied that one as well.

The surroundings became clearer, and he could see his four friends watching him with interest.

Liam and Padriag stood at the foot of his bed, while Tristan and Gavin stood on both sides. None of them spoke; instead they seemed to be waiting for him to say something.

“I need time to …” Niall lay back on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. To what? Did he want to prolong not knowing? And for how long?

“Where am I and what are you supposed to tell me?” he managed to ask in a husky voice. Lifting up to his elbows, he immediately regretted it when his head swam. Still he refused to lay back down.