his mouth and pressed a kiss to her palm. Bending his head, he held her hand against his mouth. He clenched his teeth and fought back the heaviest fear he’d ever experienced. He’d never been so helpless in his life. If he could fight this battle he gladly would, but it was something taking place on a battlefield he couldn’t reach. There was nothing he could do now but pray, to whatever deities might be out there listening. “Please,” he whispered. “Please.”
Minutes ticked by. An hour. He stood and stretched. Loath to leave her, he paced the small room, desperation riding him. On his hundredth trip from the window back to the bed, he noticed his father standing in the doorway. “How long have you been there?” Finn asked.
“Not long.” Lucifer shoved his hands in his pockets and walked into the room. His voice quiet, he lifted his chin toward the bed. “She’s not doing well, I take it?”
“No, she’s not.” Finn sighed and stood at the foot of the bed. “They were able to get the bullet but it’s taking a long time for the iron to work its way out of her system. The best thing for her is to be outside where she could absorb energy from the Earth, but it’s too dangerous to move her just yet.”
“So bring the Earth to her.”
Finn gave a nod. “I thought of that, too, but according to one of the fey doctors on staff, it’s not that simple. The energy she draws upon is from the interconnectivity all living things have to each other. It’s not just from the dirt, it’s from the tree that’s in the dirt. It’s from the bugs and animals in the tree and in the ground.” He scrubbed the back of his neck. “It’s…complicated.”
“I see.” Lucifer stared at Keira for several seconds, then put his hand on Finn’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you,” he said, his voice deep. He met Finn’s eyes. “I knew you could do this, and you proved me right.”
“Thank you.” Finn searched his father’s gaze and was met only with veracity. It was the first time in recent memory that the old devil had praised him for anything. Maybe it was because Finn had given up on trying to please Lucifer, but he’d given up because he’d never gotten any recognition. At least now, when it really mattered, his father had said the words a son needed to hear.
“I know I’m not the kind of father that engenders the warm fuzzies,” Lucifer went on. “It’s not because I don’t care.”
“I know that.” Finn realized his father was uncomfortable with sharing his feelings and, in fact, preferred not to acknowledge them at all. He supposed that kind of attitude was in large part what made him so successful as the leader of demons.
“Even though you won’t be working for me anymore,” his father went on, “I hope you’ll let me throw work your way from time to time. Once your security business is up and running, that is.”
Finn frowned. He was pretty sure he’d never spoken his dream aloud in his father’s presence. “How did you…”
Lucifer shrugged. “People tell me things.”
“I guess they do.” Lesson learned there. If Finn didn’t want his father to know something, he had to keep it to himself. Although there were prets out there who could pluck the thoughts right out of your head. They were rare, and he’d never met any, but he’d bet his last dollar his father knew at least one. And that one probably owed him a favor or two. “Guess I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.”
His father grinned. He looked at Keira and the smile left his face. “You let me know if there’s anything I can do for her, all right?”
Finn gave a nod.
“And call if there’s anything I can do for you, son.”
“I will.”
Lucifer patted his shoulder and walked out of the room, pausing in the doorway. He turned back and looked at Keira. His face tightened. “Caladh MacLoch has much to answer for.” He shook his head and left.
Finn took up his vigil beside the bed. He took Keira’s hand, gently sandwiching it between his much larger ones. He wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there when her fingers moved within his grasp. At first he thought it was his imagination, but then they twitched again. He jerked up his head and stared into her face. “Keira? Sweetheart? Can you hear me?”
Her eyelids fluttered and after