Page 283 of Psycho Gods

Corvus hoisted Aran into his arms, and all of us surrounded her. Touched her reverently. Reassured ourselves she was okay.

Cobra picked up Sadie, and Jax scooped up Jinx.

The RJE device was activated.

Crack.

The snow fell softly.

Sunlight shone in muted shades.

We sprinted into the medical barracks. We screamed at doctors as they ran around frantically. They attached the girls to tubes and gave them enchanted medicine.

There was barely anyone else being treated—the usual injured foot soldiers were missing.

I didn’t care.

Luka tangled his fingers in Aran’s curls, and I held her hand.

The kings also sat around her still form and kept their hands on her like they were afraid she would disappear.

The shifters were similarly gathered around Jinx and Sadie. The boy named Warren staggered into the room and shouted.

A doctor announced that it was good that they were all in a healing sleep, and Corvus screamed flames into his face.

I agreed with his sentiment.

Sixteen hours, twelve minutes, and fours second after we’d found her, Aran woke up. One eye was a darker blue than usual and highlighted the gray tone in the other.

She didn’t smile when she saw us.

She didn’t frown.

She stared blankly forward with a shell-shocked expression.

Her head whipped to the side where Sadie and Jinx were hooked up to fluids, still asleep. Ripping a needle out of her hand, she staggered over to them while we tried to stop her.

She ignored us.

Pushing the shifters out of the way, she stood between their sleeping forms and grabbed their hands.

She fell to her knees.

Bowed her head like she was praying.

And laughed.

Chapter 57

Aran

BONDS THAT CAN’T BREAK

Acatalepsy (noun): an ancient Skeptic doctrine that human knowledge amounts only to probability and never to certainty.

DAY 38, HOUR 12

I was covered in ice and it felt like a hug.