Dragon's Isolation - Miranda Martin Page 0,38
You’re exposed.”
“I know,” Melchior says.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “We didn’t know anyone else would be here.”
Addison frowns and shakes her head. “It was a risk. We shouldn’t have taken it. He was probably exposed by me anyway. He refused to stay away any longer.”
“Mates?” Shidan growls, glaring at Melchior.
Melchior grimaces and nods.
“Good,” Shidan says and at last he puts away his lochaber.
Melchior slides his own into place behind his back and the tension in the room drops for the first time since we burst in.
“What are we going to do now?” I ask Addison.
She yawns. Only now do I notice the heavy bags under her eyes, the sallowness of her skin, and the deep exhaustion clearly written on her face.
“I… I don’t know,” she sighs, shoulders slumping.
“When’s the last time you slept?” I ask.
“I don’t know that either,” she admits. “Who has time?”
Addison throws her hands into the air and shakes her head. She looks about ready to cry too, which I understand. The two men stare at each other across the distance. Addison and I stand between them. She’s as lost as I am but I’m a makeshift engineer. This is a problem and that means there must be a solution. I only have to figure it out.
“What about the Order?” I ask.
“I’ve reached out to them,” Addison says. “They haven’t had anything useful yet. They seem as lost as I am.”
“Ask Khal,” I say.
“I have,” she says.
“Then ask again! If he hasn’t given an answer demand one. We need to know what they know, if any damn thing.”
“What I need,” she says, rubbing her forehead. “Is a sample. I don’t know Zmaj physiology enough to say what’s not belonging in there and what does.”
“How do I get you a sample?” I ask.
Addison chews her lip then begins pacing the room. I watch, waiting, seeing her work it through. There has to be an answer.
“We know it starts with Ladon,” she says, talking out loud. “He’s patient zero. He was exposed to something in the desert when he went out there. I don’t know why he was out there. He was with that new Order member, the one who brought Ashlee to the City.”
She stops pacing and stares at me. I hold my hands up defensively.
“I don’t know anything you don’t,” I say.
It’s not a total truth but we’re not supposed to talk about it. I don’t know I know all of it either anyway. Rosalind was vague about what he was doing out there so it’s not like I have details to give if I felt I could. If that’s where it started though, it gives me something I can do.
“I’m at my wits end,” Addison sighs. “Ladon is completely regressed. He’s primal. Ormarr is in bad shape as well and…”
She trails off staring at Shidan then shakes her head.
“Right,” I say. “I’m talking to Rosalind. Let me see what I can find out about that first.”
“Okay,” Addison says. “I’ll continue trying. See if I can come up with something.”
“Good,” I say, turning to look at Shidan.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
He stares blankly and that’s all the answer I need. He’s not okay, far from it. My chest tightens and my throat clenches.
“Am-ara,” he says, sounding my name out.
He touches my cheek, his fingers cool against my skin. As I look in his eyes I see the one thing I’ve never thought I’d see from him. Fear.
“Can…” I can’t force the words past the lump in my throat. Swallowing hard, I struggle to hold back my tears and try again. “Can we have a moment.”
“Of course,” Addison says.
She and Melchior leave the room. The sound of the door shutting behind them is the only mar on the absolute silence between us. I stare into his eyes. His beautiful, perfect eyes that have always shined with their absolute love for me. Even now, as he loses his memory, I see that fiery love.
Life is a series of moments. Some good, some hard, but this one I never saw coming. Nothing could have prepared me for this, I never thought I’d lose him.
“Shidan,” I say. “Stay with me.”
The tears I’ve been fighting with won’t be held back any longer. He pulls me tight against his chest and I hug him tight. Holding on to him for dear life.
“Amara,” he says, kissing the top of my head. “Treasure.”
“Yes,” I sob, swamped in a storm of emotions. “I can’t lose you.”
He grabs my shoulders and pushes me back so he’s holding