Chapter 156
Marian did not approach or speak to any Whitehall shifters, nor did she approach or speak to any Lightmoon shifters.
Once she got into the hospital, her shoulders finally relaxed.
She went directly to Reyland’s room.
The hospital was very busy, but the noise level was low, thanks to the warding.
Reyland was still asleep and still in cut-off, bloodied clothes.
Marian found a bowl and a hand towel. She stepped out to get a jug of warm water, which a passing nurse quickly helped her with, apologizing for Reyland’s state while explaining that they were trying to help many others.
Marian had assured the she-wolf that she understood and that all was well.
She took the filled jug and went back to her prince.
As she entered the room, she shut the door behind her and stared at Reyland’s body.
He would have spilled over this bed, she mused.
If he had his real stature.
She walked slowly forward and would have sworn she felt a pull from the body on the bed, but Reyland had not moved.
Marian inhaled as tears rolled down her face.
They were alone now.
No one else was in their space.
She cloaked them both as she spoke to her man. Whispering at that volume that only the two of them could here, even as she applied the shield that was second nature to her.
“Andy, wake up. Please. You can’t leave me like this. Your grandfather is here, do you know that? What if he wants to take you away? Will you let him do what he wants? Will you leave me alone here?”
She approached him, tears still falling. She wanted to reach out to his mind, but she didn’t want to see that blackness.
Yet, she needed to talk to him.
So, she talked.
Low, off the normal or even paranormal spectrum.
“I know what you did to Dorien. He deserves it. Can you wake up so we can talk about him, and about our dads?”
“Your father is afraid, Andy. Can you believe it? He hides it well, but he’s scared, and he needs you. He needs his right hand. That’s what my dad calls you sometimes,” she sniffled.
“I need you,” she breathed, and, before she could stop herself, her mind reached for Reyland’s.
She was right.
There was nothing but blackness.
However, instead of it being like a void that occupied a space, this time, it was the entire space.
Marian stared at it.
She could not see or sense her body, or feel any part of herself, but she knew she was inside it.
She tried to ‘speak’ just as she would in a link, but she had no voice.
She calmed herself, then did what she herself did not expect.
She closed her eyes, even though she had no eyes to close, and breathed deep and slow, entering into a meld state.
She immediately woke up in the physical realm, gasping for air as she stared wide-eyed around the room.
Reyland was in the bed, no change to his position.
Marian stared around. She could not hear any sounds.
She covered her ears with her hands, cupping and releasing them, still, no sound came.
Her heart raced.
She tried to call Dinka, but she had no ‘voice’ either. No ‘sound’ came to or from her.
As she made to run out of the room, all sound, from every direction, suddenly hit her ears.
She staggered, shutting her eyes tight and cupping her ears again, this time, to reduce the noise.
Even with the warding, she could hear every scream and moan in the pack hospital.
What is this?!
What is going on?!
She screamed in her mind.
The door burst open, and Gravan rushed in.
“Marian! Marian!!” he called, shaking her, his face pale, his brow furrowed.
Marian stared at him, holding his arms as she sank to her knees.
Gravan held her arms as well, following her to the ground.
“Marian! Can you hear me?” he called loudly.
“It’s okay, you’re okay! Breathe, princess, breathe,” he continued, lowering his volume, his clear eyes fixed on her trembling ones.
Marian’s mouth was wide open, but no air was making it through her closed throat.
Her body started to convulse.
Byron entered the room.
Without asking any questions, he took her arms from Gravan’s grip and laid her on her back, tilting her head backward.
Then, he started CPR on her, pumping her chest and breathing into her mouth.
Thirty seconds later, she was coughing and gasping. Sucking in air with all her might.
“What…happened?” she coughed, her body trembling.
“We should be asking you that!” Gravan shouted, rising to his feet and pulling her upright.
Byron was on his knees, gazing up at her.
“Doctor…Byron…I’m so sorry, I took you…from your patients,” Marian gasped, her face red as she continued to drink in air.
“What happened, Marian?” Byron asked evenly.
“I…I…I wanted to talk to him. I…I…reached into his mind, but…the…the thing inside…it…it…I don’t know what it is,” she stammered.
“Breathe, princess,” Byron said slowly, standing, his eyes never leaving Marian’s face.
“Describe it to me. Don’t think about it, just tell me what you saw.”
Marian told him. Gravan listened.
“Have you told your father of this?” Gravan asked concernedly, “About this blackness?”
“No, Uncle. I haven’t told anyone,” Marian replied softly, her eyes on Reyland.
Gravan pursed his lips.
“Byron –” he started, but the doctor cut in.
“From everything, I have an idea, but I’m not certain. I need one more test –” Byron replied slowly, his eyes staring at a fixed point before his eyes as his mind worked.
“Misha said he is something old,” Marian blurted out, her eyes wide as she stared at the doctor.
“Misha?” Byron echoed.
“The Bloodrayne Alpha’s son,” Marian clarified sheepishly, her voice small.
The older wolves glanced at each other.
“You went…to the dungeons?” Gravan asked, his voice empty.
“I…Uncle, I’m fine, I swear. I just needed to get some answers –”
“About what?!” Gravan snapped, “From Bloodrayne? Why?!”
Marian stared at her uncle, mouth agape.
Then, she closed her eyes, steadying her breathing.
She reopened them and gazed directly at Gravan.
“Uncle, the Bloodrayne Alpha used something on me, on Dinka, that knocked us out for two hours. I thought, if they could figure something like that out about me, maybe they could know something about Reyland,” she stated flatly.
“Do you know how dan–” Gravan rebuffed.
“I know it's dangerous, but look at him! By the time his father and grandfather finish grandstanding each other, things may get worse!” Marian shot back, her face turning red again.
“He took someone’s wolf, Marian! You can’t be so careless!” Gravan pressed, not letting up.
“I wasn’t being careless! I was…I was trying to talk to…I just wanted to see him…I…I don’t –” Marian stammered.
Gravan pulled her into a tight hug. She held her uncle, squeezing him tightly, as hard sobs racked her body.