Page 54 of Magic Claimed

“I’m okay,” I tried to say, but it came out garbled. It felt like I was being turned inside out. Battered by winds that existed nowhere but in my own mind.

But I was fine. Whole. No one was attacking me.

Unless this was about…

Callum.

I pulled out my phone to look for a message, but the screen was dark. Of course it was. I hadn’t had a chance to plug it in last night, so the battery was dead.

What if something had happened to Callum, and they had no way to tell me? What if he was dying, and I wasn’t there?

“Kira.”

She’d been lingering silently in the doorway, but she appeared at my side in an instant, grasping my arm and peering up into my face with concern. Whatever she saw must have made my fears obvious, because her grip tightened and her expressionturned fierce.

“He’s okay, Raine. I swear he is. They would have called me. Found you some way or another.”

But still…

“You need to see that he’s okay,” she realized aloud.

I could only nod as my knees tried to buckle.

“I get it. We can go.”

Logan seemed to sense that something was wrong and bolted out of the chair, taking my other arm and supporting half my weight while Ethan just watched, as if utterly detached from what was going on around him.

Monique’s gaze was troubled, and I could tell she wanted to ask questions, but part of her held back. As if she knew she couldn’t afford to care—couldn’t extend herself further. Every bit of her heart was with her son, and if she gave away even one more piece of herself, she might fall apart.

“I’ll call you,” I told her, fumbling my words through lips so numb it would be a miracle if she understood me. “As soon as I know anything.”

And then I was stumbling down the stairs. Out the door, to the curb. Being helped into the back seat of the car as I battled the chaos churning in my own head. I still had no idea what was happening, but if anything, it was getting worse, threatening to pull me in, pull me under, and swallow up what little was left of my ability to think clearly. But I couldn’t give in. I needed to remain alert and fully myself.

“Raine?” The voice sounded young and scared. I felt a hand on my arm. Turned my head. Somehow managed to focus on the face that swam in front of me.

“Logan.”

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“Am,” I managed. “Don’t worry. This… it isn’t…”

I didn’t know how much was safe to tell him. The fewer people who knew about Callum the better, but Logan would find out sooner or later. And he needed to know I wasn’t going anywhere.

“It’s Callum,” I explained hoarsely. “He’s hurt. Poison.”

The grip on my arm tightened.

“Is he going to die?”

No. I wouldn’t allow it. But I was still fighting for words, so I shook my head.

“Areyougoing to die?”

The question was raw, vulnerable, unfiltered—trying to prepare himself for the worst.

So I fought for control and answered without the slightest wavering or doubt.

“Nope.” I even managed the tiniest hint of a smile. “Not today, kiddo.”