Diel’s cheek twitched, but he didn’t laugh. He leaned down to press his forehead to Noa’s. He didn’t speak, but she felt what he was feeling as he touched her, as his labored breathing told her just how close she had been to not making it.
“That bad, huh?”
Diel reared back slightly. “I love you,” he whispered, like he needed to say those words. Like both their lives depended on it. Noa’s heart melted, her racing pulse making her dizzy even though she was lying down. Diel placed two of his fingers on what Noa assumed was an uninjured part of her face. “You’ll never do that again.” His eyes narrowed, and she stilled, a flash of ire wrapping around her as Diel tried to tell her what to do. “Next time, we kill those fuckers together.” The anger seeped from her as quickly as it had built.
Together. They would kill together.
Diel had been caged for most of his life. He loved her and would never dare cage her too.
“Or not at all,” a voice said from Noa’s other side. Noa closed her eyes, recognizing it as Dinah’s. She turned her head, trying to block out the pain it caused. Then she was looking at Dinah. Dinah, Jo, Candace, Beth and Naomi, who all rose from their chairs around Diel’s bedroom to stand at the side of the bed. Dinah gently covered Noa’s hand, careful not to disturb her wounds.
Noa swallowed the lump that rose to her throat. Her sisters looked distraught. Their worry for Noa shone as brightly as the sun on their tired, sunken faces. “How bad?” Noa finally said, aiming for levity with her sisters just as she had done with Diel. She could still feel him lying right behind her, his body heat soothing her as his hand lay protectively on her waist, as if he had to be touching her some way. Grounding him. Anchoring him.
She felt the exact same way.
“One being good or bad?” The gravel in Dinah’s voice told Noa that it had been close. That she almost hadn’t woken up from her injuries.
Noa turned her hand to squeeze Dinah’s fingers. “Good.”
“Then a fucking hundred, girl,” Dinah said, her dull eyes brightening a fraction. “You look like shit. A damn living, breathing pin cushion.”
Despite the fear still lingering in her soul, Noa couldn’t help the burst of laughter that broke from her cracked lips. She winced when a stabbing pain, sharp as a knife, sliced through her stomach. She must have jerked, because suddenly Naomi was beside her, checking her over. Naomi checked her watch against Noa’s pulse, and Noa just stared at her mute sister. Noa’s chest filled with warmth. They were here. She was back with all her sisters. Where she belonged.
Naomi looked to Dinah, and Dinah looked at Diel. “Diel? It’s time for Noa’s pain pills. Will you go and get them, please?”
Noa felt Diel stiffen at the request. She knew he didn’t want to go anywhere. But when Noa turned back to him and gave him a small nod, he took hold of her chin and pressed a soft kiss on her lips before moving from the bed. “I’m not leaving for long.” Noa knew those words were aimed at Dinah, not her.
He left the room, and Noa watched him go. He was only wearing sweats; slashes and knife marks littered his torso from where he had fought the Brethren. When the door shut behind him, Noa looked back to her sisters. To Beth.
“Beth …” Noa whispered. She couldn’t find the right words to express how sorry she was for what had happened.
Beth’s arms were folded over her waist, as if the gesture was all that was keeping her from falling apart. When Beth’s deep chocolate eyes fell on Noa, they were filled with tears. “Don’t do that to me ever again,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Noa felt devastated. She’d let her youngest sister down. “I’m sorry,” she said. The simple words were not enough, but they were all she could find. Noa hissed as she shifted her body, but she held out her hand for Beth. Beth stared at Noa’s hand. For a moment, Noa didn’t think Beth would forgive her. But then Beth stepped forward and clutched Noa’s hand so tightly, Noa wondered if her little sister would ever let go. “I’m sorry,” Noa said again. She thought of Beth’s face as Noa had locked her out of the church.