Page 85 of Cerulean Truth (Sapere #1)

FORTY-SEVEN

EMMA

I nearly lost it when I saw his wound. How in the gods’ names had he been fighting and running while bleeding out that much? And then he’d had the audacity to pretend it was all fine. I might have just killed him myself.

Maurice was brilliant though. With some non-magical tools, he somehow managed to stabilize the wound and pack it up. James was out the entire time, probably his body shutting down from the pain.

“You need to keep an eye on him during the entire night,” Maurice instructed. “If he wakes up, get him to take these painkillers. They should knock him out again.” He rattled a bottle, setting it next to the bed.

I swallowed hard. “How’s Maria?”

Maurice’s features twisted in agony. “Not good. I hope we can get these bubbles to lift before dawn, we need to get them both home as soon as possible.”

I nodded, fervently hoping some good news was coming our way. With James so injured, I had no choice but to be strong, even though my entire being screamed at me to let my despair take over.

Maurice had cut up James’s shirt to attend to his wound. Making sure he wouldn’t be cold, I took out extra blankets from the closet and covered him with them. I kissed him softly on his forehead, and he stirred a little as I did.

Sitting next to him for the next few hours in silence, I reminded myself almost every five minutes not to go crazy with worry. I kept an eye on James and his wound, making sure he was as comfortable as possible. He was going to be fine. We simply needed to get out of there.

I had no idea what had happened to the remaining Board members, but I thanked my lucky stars that James had had the good sense to bubble in the cabin before we left.

It kept us safe from the other bubble the Board had created, but even if we did manage to lift theirs in some sort of miraculous way…

If James didn’t regain consciousness, we still wouldn’t be able to portal out as he was the only one who could lift it.

Unless we were willing to move out of the safety of the cabin.

Darn it, there were too many worries, too many factors to take into consideration.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I slid off the bed and opened the door a little bit.

“Maurice,” I greeted, whispering softly so as not to wake James.

He handed me two bottles of water. “How is he doing?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat before answering. “He hasn’t been awake yet.”

Maurice covered my hand with his. “That’s better for him.”

I nodded. “How’s Maria?”

“Still alive. But Dennis needed attending as well, and he’s doing worse.”

I frowned. “Dale got injured? I didn’t notice.”

Maurice shook his head. “No one did. He didn’t tell me until an hour ago.”

“Shit. Is he going to be fine?” I asked, genuinely worried for his well-being. I didn’t know him well, but he’d fought by our side tonight. As far as I was concerned, he was one of us now.

Maurice sighed. “Without translation, he’s not going to make it.”

“We need to get out from under these bubbles.”

Maurice nodded. “Yes, we do. Have you heard anything from Julian yet?”

I gritted my teeth. “No.”

“Okay. Get some rest. I’ll come check on you in an hour again.”

I nodded, closing the door softly behind him.

“Dale’s dying?” James whispered, his voice raw and filled with disbelief.

My eyes widened, and I hurried to his side. “You’re awake.”

James’s jaw clenched. “Did Maurice… leave… anything for the pain?” His words were strained, each syllable a struggle.

I grabbed the bottle from the nightstand and handed him two pills as instructed by Maurice. He tried to down them without water, his usual stubbornness shining through, until I forced him to drink.

His eyes were still closed, his brow furrowed with concern. “Dale?” he groaned again, his voice barely audible.

“It doesn’t look good,” I admitted softly, my heart aching at the thought.

“Damn it.” James took a deep breath, wincing slightly. “He surprised me tonight. Fighting by our side. I didn’t... I didn’t expect that.”

“Me neither,” I replied honestly, then hesitated before asking, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to or feel like it, but… how do you know Dale?”

James sighed, opening his eyes slightly, the pain evident in them. “I can’t tell you everything.”

I snorted, trying to lighten the mood despite my worry. “What else is new?”

He managed a weak smile, appreciating the attempt. “Dale and I… we have a complicated history. We’ve crossed paths before, and not always on the same side.”

“That doesn’t tell me much,” I said, urging him to elaborate.

James grimaced, and I noticed small drops of sweat forming on his forehead. Before he could protest, I ran into the bathroom, wetting a cloth with cold water, and put it on his head, hoping it would cool him off.

His grimace turned into a smile. “Since when are you such a nurse?”

“Since my favorite teacher got himself into a stabbing-pickle,” I teased.

His smile faltered slightly.

“So,” I repeated gently, “Dale?”

James let out a deep sigh, his eyes clouding with memories. “Dale used to be a Board member.”

“What?” I gasped.

James closed his eyes. “They kicked him off. He had a bit of a mean streak and got himself in bed with the wrong kind of people. Three years ago, he made himself some… enemies.” James paused.

I listened intently, the cold cloth on his forehead seeming to help as he spoke.

“Somehow they got their hands on him in Antwerp and tried to kill him. As luck would have it, I was in Antwerp myself that day and learned about the incident through the grapevine. Being First Offensive has its perks, and I got there before anyone else did, saving his life just in time.”

“Wow,” I breathed, absorbing the gravity of his story.

“The Board decided to kick Dale out, felt he made them look bad or weak or something, but when the United Chiefs learned about the incident and my role in it, they agreed to back me for the Leadership position, in succession of Maria.”

James’s words were strained, and I couldn’t discern whether it was because it was painful for him to talk or because he wasn’t being entirely truthful.

“That’s why they overlooked the whole contract-killing thing when you wanted Leadership? Because you saved one of their own?” It finally started to make sense how a contract killer was able to lead an entire Collective.

James didn’t answer.

“Is there a reason you’d have to hide this from me?” I asked, wondering why he didn’t tell me before coming here.

James swallowed. “It’s classified information. I’m not allowed to tell you, but…” his voice trailed off.

I didn’t care about the rest of the story. Leaning in softly, I went in to kiss his cheek, but James saw me coming and turned to face me. I halted just before my lips touched his, but I didn’t retreat.

Catching his gaze, his eyes darkened as they took me in. Whenever he looked at me like that, my heart did a few somersaults. It was like he drank me in, his need for me too big to fight it.

My eyes studied his face, making sure he wasn’t in too much pain before I dropped my gaze to his lips.

“Do you think…” I hesitated, my voice barely a whisper. “Would it hurt if I kissed you?”

He grunted in response, closing the last few inches between us, his mouth desperate for mine.

I moaned as his lips crashed onto mine, his tongue instantly seeking mine.

It was like a wildfire had been ignited, spreading through every fiber of my being. His kiss was intense, demanding, as if he was trying to consume me whole. I melted into him, my hands instinctively tangling in his hair, pulling him closer.

His lips moved against mine with a fervor that set my skin ablaze, igniting a passion I could hardly contain.

Each touch, each caress, sent shivers all over my body, leaving me breathless and wanting more.

His tongue explored every inch of my mouth with that undeniable hunger of his.

And I reciprocated, losing myself in the heat of the moment, drowning in the intoxicating sensation of his lips.

I cursed his injuries for preventing me from fully surrendering to my instincts. Oh, how I wanted him. How I needed him.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, my chest heaving with desire as I gazed into his eyes, still yearning for more. But even as I detached myself from his lips, the heat between us lingered, a tantalizing promise of what was yet to come.

My eyes remained locked with his, searching for any sign of reassurance, any promise of life. “Please don’t die,” I pleaded, my desperation evident in every word.

He smiled gently, his head resting against mine. “I won’t.”

I laid my head next to his, feeling the warmth of his lips as they pressed softly against my forehead.

And just like that, he drifted back to sleep, his breathing steady and calm. And I followed suit, finding solace in the embrace of sleep beside him.

“Emma,” a voice whispered softly, barely rousing me from sleep.

“Hmm...” I mumbled, reluctant to awaken.

“Emma,” the voice whispered again, this time with more urgency.

“What?” I muttered, still keeping my eyes closed, determined to cling to the remnants of sleep.

“Wake up, Julian’s here,” the voice insisted.

I shot up immediately, my heart pounding with a surge of adrenaline. Quickly checking the man laying still beside me, I found him a lot paler than I would have liked. Panic shot through me, and I leaned in closer, relieved to feel the steady rhythm of his breathing.

Maurice stood beside the bed, already preparing his tools to examine James.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“It’s almost five in the morning. You should go downstairs; Julian has a lot to tell you,” Maurice instructed, his tone brisk but reassuring. “I’ll change James’s wound dressings and join you shortly.”

I nodded, hurrying to the bathroom to freshen up before dashing downstairs, my mind already formulating a barrage of questions for Julian, ready to give him an earful for abandoning us in our greatest hour of need.