Despite yesterday's drama, I actually slept through the night. However, that also meant I was awake early the next morning. Now that I was awake, the question that had made it next to impossible to sleep resurfaced. How am I able to see ghosts without the Lost Soul Pendant?
That on top of Dad and everything else was almost too much. Mom hadn't left his side, sleeping at the hospital all the while hoping he'd wake up. We were all hoping that, but I could tell how badly Mom needed it to be true. I rubbed my eyes as I quietly got dressed and swam downstairs. I swam to the kitchen and grabbed some shrimp, nibbling on them as I swam outside.
The sun was just beginning to rise over the water, staining the surface a bright yellow. My mind was moving in a million directions, making it impossible to focus on any one thing. As if summoned by my whirling thoughts, the ghosts reappeared, silent and watchful. "Why are you following me?" I asked, thankful no one was around.
They just stared, their expressions ranging from sadness to disappointment. "What do you want?" I insisted, firmer this time.
One ghost broke free from the group, her brown eyes sad as she gazed at me. Aunt Meri. She pointed a translucent hand toward the direction of the palace, her gaze on mine. I knew what she meant before I even turned around. I started to open my mouth, but before I could so much as utter a sound, they vanished.
I hadn't told anyone about the ghosts, but now I was wondering if maybe I should have. Pulling my cloak tighter around myself, I sped toward the hospital, hoping against hope for some good news. That would distract me from Aunt Meri's silent message. You need to tell Jay's parents about the accident.
I hadn't visited the dungeons since they'd been restored. Who knew what I would find? Before I'd even reached the hospital's entrance, Kai was beside me, slipping his hand into mine. He gently kissed me on the cheek as we swam inside. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Despite everything, his smile always made my heart lighter.
I couldn't help my smile, however weak, as I responded. "Yes. You?"
Before he could respond, Mom met us in the waiting room. She looked exhausted. Her curls were limp, her eyes bloodshot. Did you get any sleep last night? I asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
She shook her head, jerking her chin in the direction of Dad's room. I couldn't.
As we swam to his room, I noticed her hands were trembling. When we reached the door, Mom stopped. She didn't say anything, nor did she begin to sign, but I could read the emotion in her eyes as clearly as if it was my own. Fear. Raw, naked fear.
I gently squeezed her hand. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me. I'm right here.
She nodded. Taking a steadying breath, she opened the door, swimming inside. I was next, with Kai behind me. Dad didn't flinch as we swam inside, nor when Kai shut the door behind us. For a moment, I was frozen.
I couldn't breathe as I stared at him. Where was the merman that ruled our kingdom with a smile on his face? The merman that always had a kind word to say, no matter the circumstances? "Can he hear us?" I was surprised to hear myself speak.
Mom shook her head. The doctors aren't sure, but they encouraged me carry on as normal. He hasn't moved since they operated on him. All we can do is wait. The way her hands shook as she signed suggested she wouldn't be able to wait much longer.
I swam to his side, careful not to disturb any of the machines by his bed. "Hey, Dad," I began, my voice trembling as tears slipped down my cheeks. "Drew told me to tell you that he has a cometball game coming up and he hoped you could make it. I heard that his team may even make it to the finals next week." My voice broke off at the end as a sob slipped from my mouth.
I looked down at my hand clasping his, struggling to get my emotions under control. "You have to wake up. You have to be okay."
Now, I have no idea if Merais decided to take pity on me, or if it was just fate. As the words left my mouth, his hand twitched. My eyes widened as I leaned toward him. "Dad? Can you hear me?"
I felt Mom beside me, felt the fear and hope warring inside her as we waited for him to open his eyes. He gasped, a groan escaping his mouth as he opened his eyes, gaze darting around the room. When it finally settled on Mom, the worry and relief in her eyes, he lifted a weak hand to her cheek.
Mom was crying as she put a hand over his own, leaning into his touch. I couldn't breathe as I stared at Dad, his chest rising and falling steadily as he breathed, the light in his dark-green eyes slowly returning. He met my gaze, the exhaustion in his eyes softened by love. "Hey, baby," he whispered.
Those two words broke me. The fear, anger, sadness, and exhaustion poured out of my body in the form of gut-wrenching sobs. I barely felt the arm Kai put around me, pulling me to him. I was left gasping and lightheaded when the tears finally subsided. Mom glanced at me, the question in her eyes mirroring my own expression. She turned back to Dad, but he had already pulled back the covers.
As one, we all looked at his torso where the bandage lay, tightly wrapped. Dad took a deep breath, steeling himself as he gently started unwrapping the bandage. When the wound was just barely visible, I let out a cry, my body going limp against Kai's. Aside from a large scar stretching vertically across his torso and some minor bruising, the surgeons had done a remarkable job.
If you looked closely, you could see where the stitches had been put in at the edges of the wound to close it. I wasn't in control of my body as I rose from my chair, backing out of the room. The tears returned with a vengeance, flowing down my cheeks like a river. My chest was heaving as I sobbed, the fear feeling like it was crushing my chest.
When I thought of how close we'd come to losing him... I couldn't bear it. "He's going to be okay, Izzy," a soft voice said from behind me. I didn't need to look up to know it was Kai. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.
"It's not just that," I choked out. I felt more than saw Kai's confusion. His eyes were filled with worry as I glanced up at him. "I have to go tell his parents what happened. How can I look them in the eyes and tell them that their son suffered a nearly-fatal wound? That we almost..." My throat tightened, cutting off the rest of my words. I could tell by the look in Kai's eyes that he understood, however. That we almost lost him.
He pressed a kiss to my head. "Not alone, you don't." His hand found mine, his grip warm and reassuring.
The swim to the floor of rooms above the dungeons was uneventful. Aside from the few guards we passed, we didn't encounter a soul. I had just lifted my hand to knock when the door flew open. "Isadora!"
Hearing my grandmother's voice, filled with surprise, almost broke me all over again. I nearly faltered at the concern in their gazes. I managed to meet her gaze, though my hands were trembling violently.
In an attempt to give me a chance to pull myself together, Kai quickly introduced himself, meeting both of their gazes. My grandfather's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, concern lacing the words. "Is everything okay, Izzy?"
I began shaking as more tears filled my eyes. "Dad... There was an accident. He's awake and recovering now, but..." The words grew trapped in my throat, lodging themselves where they wouldn't budge. Kai again took over, his eyes sorrowful as he explained what had happened, starting with the attack on the palace and ending with Ronan and Dad.
The cry that my grandmother uttered broke my heart clean in two. It had been broken so many times, I wondered how it was even still beating. My grandfather was more composed, though grief was etched on his face. "Nerissa? Is... is she..." He trailed off, but I understood.
I nodded. "Mom's fine. She's at the hospital with him. She hasn't left his side since the accident."
"Can we see him?" The words were halting, uncertain. I didn't answer right away. From what I could tell, they seemed to have recovered completely from the effects of the Loyalty Pendant, but I didn't want to take any chances.
I exchanged a glance with Kai, the question in my gaze clear as day. I read the answer in his own, his eyes clear. It's your call. Do what you think is right. With more courage than I felt, I nodded, gesturing for them to follow me.
When we reached the hospital, I paused at the entrance. Kai read the hesitation on my face. We don't have to do this if you don't want to, his gaze seemed to say. I had to do this, if not for myself, then for Dad. I shook my head, swimming into the waiting room. My entire body was trembling as we swam to his room. I opened the door, preparing to say something, but I didn't get the chance. Dad spoke, his voice raw and hoarse from disuse. "Mom?"
She flew into his open arms, being careful to avoid his injury as she hugged him. I stayed back against the wall, watching the reunion from a distance. Later that night, I lay awake in bed, contemplating the day's events. Yes, Dad's parents were back and that was great, but what if it was all part of Ronan's plan? What if he had a bigger endgame in mind, one that we couldn't possibly anticipate?
The instant Kai's arms wrapped around me, the worries vanished, replaced by overwhelming exhaustion. I fell asleep the second my eyes closed.
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