Page 44 of The Silent War

Her breath hitched. I tore off my jacket and pulled it overher. It was soaked from the rain. Pretend warmth. Pretend control.

Her lips parted. “Bastion…”

“Don’t talk.” My voice broke. “Look at me. Don’t close your eyes.”

She tried to smile. The smallest thing. My ribs split around it. Only Emilia would try to comfort someone else, when she was bleeding.

My phone buzzed once, I answered it without looking. We both were shattering. He could feel it. I could feel it. One soul, two bodies.

“Bastion.Talk.”

“Head cut. Arm pinned. Wrist swelling. Driver gone. Second guard shallow. I need cutters.”

“Copy.” His voice split—half to me, half to his room. “Sweep in ninety. I’ll bring the corridor up. Two minutes of light. That’s all I can steal.”

“Steal more.”

“I’ll take the vault.”

The line stayed open. Because he needed it. The storm thought it owned the night. Then the lights hit.

Two blocks of underpass casted light. Just as the Medics rushed in.

“Do not touch her,” I snapped. “Not until the arm’s stable. Pull wrong and I’ll kill you.”

“Mr. Crow.” Medic’s voice calm. “Permission to enter?”

“You have it.”

Cutters went through the belt. I needed to take her pain. I hated feeling this helpless.

“Pulse weak but present,” she said. “Head laceration. Probable concussion. Arm trapped. We cut the door.”

“Do it.”

I bent over her. Covered her head with my body. My backcaught the spray, off glass as they cut the door. My hand stayed on her pulse.

“Look at me,” I whispered. “You’re not moving. I’ve got you.”

Her breath caught. Her eyes dragged back to mine.

“On my count,” medic said. “Seat up. Roll as one. Mr. Crow—you’re backboard.”

“I’m not letting go.”

“Good.”

“One… two… three.”

Her body lifted with mine. Her arm tore free. She screamed.

It gutted me.

It would have ripped through Luca at the same time. We took the pain. We protected her. Tonight, we had failed.

I held her throat lightly, thumb on her pulse. “You’re okay.” Another lie. My chest didn’t believe it.

Straps locked over her. Hands pressed her head. She was out of the car, and placed on the stretcher.