“Lukas! Lukas, get up! Now!” I shriek, my voice trembling with panic. My voice is so loud and high pitched that Roxy comes dashing into the room. Princess isn’t far behind. The urgency in my tone snaps Lukas awake, he sits up slowly, eyes bleary but quickly sharpening with concern.
“What’s wrong?” He demands, his tone soft yet edged with alarm as he turns his gaze toward me. I don’t waste a moment, I thrust my phone into his hand and show him the text. His eyes widen in shock as he reads the message.
“He sent this hours ago, Lukas, HOURS! Anything could have happened in that time!” My words tumble out in a rush, heavy with dread. I feel my heart pounding against my ribs, and I know every second counts but I’m basically too overwhelmed to actually do anything which is wasting more time which in turn makes me feel more hurried and overwhelmed. Lukas takes a steadying breath.
“So, call him back.” He says in his calm, measured way. His voice is low and reassuring, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
“I can’t!” I protest, my voice cracking.
“If I call now, I’ll be all shrieky and panicky, and I’m sure I’ll just make things worse. You call him.” I insist. Lukas shakes his head gently.
“He likes you far more than he likes me.” He says quietly, almost apologetically.
“It needs to be you. Just… Stop for a second.” He reaches out and takes my hands in his, pulling me down to sit on the edge of the bed with him. His grip is firm, grounding me in the midst of my rising panic.
“Okay, now, take a deep breath.” He instructs, his voice a soft. This feels stupid, we’re wasting time. But I still listen and do my best to follow his directions.
“Breathe in slowly through your nose… That’s it… Now out through your mouth… Keep going, inhale, exhale… In and out…” I don’t know if it’s the breathing or his steady voice, so rhythmic and deliberate, but something begins to soothe the edges of my anxiety until, slowly, my breathing starts to steady. Once my panic subsides to a more manageable level, Lukas continues in his quiet, determined tone.
“Now we’re going to make a plan. You need to call Wren back and ask him what’s wrong. Then, tell him we have the bracelet and try to get him to meet us somewhere. If he can’t do that, then at least find out where he is. I know you can do it, Clare. I know you can stay calm for him. Just keep breathing, and I’ll be here with you the whole time. Okay?” He confirms. His words, calm and deliberate, make the daunting task seem almost simple, if only I could shake off the fear that’s still clinging to me. I nod slowly.
“Alright.” I reply tentatively. Lukas smiles gently, squeezing my hand in silent encouragement.
“Good. Now take a few more deep breaths, and when you’re ready, call Wren back.” His tone is so gentle and measured that it almost seems fake amid the chaos of my thoughts. I wonder for a split second, shouldn’t he be freaking out too? I’ve always prided myself on handling pressure, but right now, the weight of uncertainty and the dread of what might have happened leaves me feeling completely out of control and useless. I take a moment to process why I’m so terrified. I’m terrified of what I might hear, of learning that something truly awful has happened, that Wren is in even worse shape than before. The thought sends a chill down my spine. But I also know that the longer I wait, the higher the chance that something irreversible might occur. I’m on the edge, battling the urge to curl up in a ball and insist that Lukas make the call instead. But then Princess crawls into my lap and with a dramatic flop, lies down, her head resting on my knee. I slowly stroke her soft ears. Lukas is still listening to my thoughts, but he doesn’t say anything further, just gives me space to work through this. With one final deep, determined breath, I open my eyes, my hand trembling over the phone, then, I dial the number.
I sit and listen to the phone ring, my mouth dry and my shoulders tense with worry. Every ring feels like it stretches on forever. Oh damn, he isn’t answering, something awful must have happened. My mind races. I should have woken up earlier, made sure my phone was loud enough, never let him walk away that day in the cafe in the first place. He’s just a kid! If something has happened to him… Oh, I think I’m going to be sick. Suddenly, there’s a final, disheartening click, and the phone goes silent. Then, through the quiet, a soft voice cuts in.
“Clare? Is that you?” He asks. It’s Wren, his voice quiet and tentative. I fight the urge to burst into tears, thank goodness, he’s alive, at least. I take a long, steadying breath, and I feel Lukas squeeze my other hand reassuringly, his grip warm and steady.
“Yeah, it’s me. Sorry I missed your call. I… I slept in…” I trail off, suddenly aware of how stupid that excuse sounds at, like, four in the afternoon.
“Oh… Okay.” Wren replies, clearly uncomfortable, and I can feel my heart sinking a little. Damn it! This is not going well.
“Are you alright? Your message sounded urgent.” I blurt out the first bit, then force myself to slow down and speak more calmly, trying to steady my nerves.
“Um… Yeah. I was in a bit of a panic when I called. It’s still bad, but maybe not quite as urgent as I thought.” Wren explains hesitantly. His voice trembles as he continues.
“Solem said… Well, I didn’t catch all of it, I don’t think he knew I was listening, but he’s planning something big. Something that involves me. I don’t think he’s content with just having me raise random people anymore. He wants specific people… Powerful people. And… I recognised some of the names… They’re not dead yet.” He says dread in his tone. A heavy silence falls over the line as we both process what he’s saying. ‘Not dead yet’ echoes in my mind. Is Solem planning to kill them? What does he have to gain by murdering people only to resurrect them immediately? What’s his goal?
“You’re right, that doesn’t sound good at all.” I murmur softly. Wren lets out an unhappy, almost defeated sound.
“It’s bad enough being forced to bring back the dead.” He continues, voice thick with anguish,
“But for people to die just so I can bring them back? That’s so much worse. I can’t do it. I don’t want to. I need to get out of here, but I can’t leave him, if I do, I’ll just end up coming right back.” His tone is hopeless, desperate. I swallow hard, knowing he needs our help to get out of this nightmare.
“I found something, at the park.” I say abruptly, my voice cutting through the tension. I probably should have eased into the subject, but my desperation got the better of me.
“You did?” Wren’s voice holds a hint of desperate hope. I can tell he wants this bracelet badly, and honestly, I don’t blame him.
“Yes, a silver charm bracelet.” I continue, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.
“I kept it safe. I assume it’s what you were looking for before. If you come meet me somewhere, I’ll give it back to you.” I offer. There’s a pause, heavy with meaning.
“Yes, it’s mine. I want it, but… Is that really important right now?” Wren asks in a pained voice, uncertainty mixed with longing.
“It’s important to you.” I reply firmly.
“Wren, come get your bracelet. It’s important.” I repeat the words clearly, knowing there’s more behind my request than just retrieving a piece of jewelry. I hold my breath, waiting as he processes my words. After what feels like an eternity of silence, his voice comes back, tentative but decisive.
“The alley near that cafe… In an hour.”