My Soul to Take
Page 64
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What happened? she demanded, ignoring the pillows to sit straight on the hospital bed, legs crossed yoga-style. The truth.
I glanced at Nash, whod pulled a rubber glove from a box mounted on the wall, but he only shrugged and nodded in her direction, giving me the clear go-ahead. Um I croaked, unsure how much to tell her. Or how to phrase it. Or whether my still-froggy voice would hold out. You died.
I died? Emmas eyes went huge and round. Whatever shed expected to hear, I hadnt said it.
I nodded hesitantly. You died, and we brought you back.
She swallowed thickly, glancing from me to Nashwho was now blowing up the disposable gloveand back. You guys saved me? Like, you did CPR? Her arms relaxed, and her shoulders fell in reliefshed obviously been expecting somethingweirder. I considered simply nodding, but no one else would corroborate our story. We had to tell her the truthor at least one version of it.
Not exactly. I faltered, raising one brow at Nash, asking him silently for help.
He sighed and let the air out of the glove, then sank onto the edge of Emmas bed. I sat in front of him and leaned back against his chest. Id barely broken physical contact with him since singing to Emmas soul, and I wasnt looking to do it anytime soon. Okay, were going to tell you whats going on However, I knew when he squeezed my hand that he wasnt going to tell her every thing, and he didnt want me to either. But first I need you to swear you wont tell anyone else. No one. Ever. Even if youre still living ninety years from now and itching to make a deathbed confession.
Emma grinned and rolled her eyes. Yeah, like Ill be thinking about the two of you when Im a hundred and six and breathing my last.
Nash chuckled and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned into his chest, and his heart beat against my back. When he spoke, his breath stirred the hair over my ear, softly soothing me, though I knew that part was meant for Emma. Just in case.
So you swear? he asked, and she nodded. You know how Kaylee can tell when someones going to die? Emma nodded again, her eyes narrowed now, fresh curiosity shining in them, edged with fear she probably didnt want us to see. Well, sometimes, under certain circumstancesshe can bring them back.
With his help, I added hoarsely, then immediately wondered if his own involvement was one of the parts Nash wanted to keep to himself. But he kissed the back of my head to tell me it was okay.
Yes, with my help. His fingers curled around mine, where my hand lay in my lap. Together, wewoke you up. Sort of. Youll be fine now. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with you, and the doctor will probablydecide you passed out from stress, or grief, or something. Just like the EMT did.
For nearly a minute, Emma was silent, taking it all in. I was afraid that even under Nashs careful Influence, she might freak out, or start laughing at us. But she only blinked and shook her head. I died? she asked again. And you guys brought me back. I knew I should have had that little digital health meter installed over my head, so I know when Im about to drop.
I smiled, relieved that she could see the humor in the situation, and Nash laughed out loud, his whole body quaking against my back. Well, with any luck, weve unlocked infinite health for you, he said.
Emma smiled back briefly, then her face grew serious. Was it like the others? I just collapsed?
Yeah. I hated having to tell her about her own death. In midsentence.
Why?
We dont know, Nash said before I could answer. I let his response stand, because technically it was the truth, even if it wasnt the whole truth. And because I didnt want Emma mixed up in anything that involved a psychotic, extra-grim, female reaper.
She thought for a moment, her fingers skimming the white hospital blanket. When her hand bumped the beds controller, she picked it up, glancing at the buttons briefly before meeting my gaze again. How did you do it?
Thatscomplicated. I searched for the right words, but they wouldnt come. I dont know how to explain it, and its not really important. At least as far as Emma was concerned. What matters is that youre okay.
She pressed a button on the controller, and the head of the bed rose several inches beneath her. So what happened with Julie?
That was the question Id been dreading. I glanced at my lap, where my fingers were twisting one another into knots. Then I shifted to look at Nash, hoping he had a better, less traumatizing way to explain it than simply She died for you.
But evidently he did not. We saved your life, and wed do it again if we had to. But death is just like life in some ways, Em. Everything has a price.
A price? Emma flinched, and her hand clenched the controller. The bed lowered beneath her, but she didnt even notice. You killed Julie to save me?
No! I reached out for Emma, but she scooted backward into the pillow, horrified. We had nothing to do with Julie dying! But when we brought you back, we created a sort of vacuum, and something had to fill it. Which wasnt exactly true. But I couldnt explain that there shouldnt have been a price for her life without telling her about bean sidhes, and reapers, and other, darker things I didnt even understand yet myself.
I glanced at Nash, whod pulled a rubber glove from a box mounted on the wall, but he only shrugged and nodded in her direction, giving me the clear go-ahead. Um I croaked, unsure how much to tell her. Or how to phrase it. Or whether my still-froggy voice would hold out. You died.
I died? Emmas eyes went huge and round. Whatever shed expected to hear, I hadnt said it.
I nodded hesitantly. You died, and we brought you back.
She swallowed thickly, glancing from me to Nashwho was now blowing up the disposable gloveand back. You guys saved me? Like, you did CPR? Her arms relaxed, and her shoulders fell in reliefshed obviously been expecting somethingweirder. I considered simply nodding, but no one else would corroborate our story. We had to tell her the truthor at least one version of it.
Not exactly. I faltered, raising one brow at Nash, asking him silently for help.
He sighed and let the air out of the glove, then sank onto the edge of Emmas bed. I sat in front of him and leaned back against his chest. Id barely broken physical contact with him since singing to Emmas soul, and I wasnt looking to do it anytime soon. Okay, were going to tell you whats going on However, I knew when he squeezed my hand that he wasnt going to tell her every thing, and he didnt want me to either. But first I need you to swear you wont tell anyone else. No one. Ever. Even if youre still living ninety years from now and itching to make a deathbed confession.
Emma grinned and rolled her eyes. Yeah, like Ill be thinking about the two of you when Im a hundred and six and breathing my last.
Nash chuckled and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned into his chest, and his heart beat against my back. When he spoke, his breath stirred the hair over my ear, softly soothing me, though I knew that part was meant for Emma. Just in case.
So you swear? he asked, and she nodded. You know how Kaylee can tell when someones going to die? Emma nodded again, her eyes narrowed now, fresh curiosity shining in them, edged with fear she probably didnt want us to see. Well, sometimes, under certain circumstancesshe can bring them back.
With his help, I added hoarsely, then immediately wondered if his own involvement was one of the parts Nash wanted to keep to himself. But he kissed the back of my head to tell me it was okay.
Yes, with my help. His fingers curled around mine, where my hand lay in my lap. Together, wewoke you up. Sort of. Youll be fine now. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with you, and the doctor will probablydecide you passed out from stress, or grief, or something. Just like the EMT did.
For nearly a minute, Emma was silent, taking it all in. I was afraid that even under Nashs careful Influence, she might freak out, or start laughing at us. But she only blinked and shook her head. I died? she asked again. And you guys brought me back. I knew I should have had that little digital health meter installed over my head, so I know when Im about to drop.
I smiled, relieved that she could see the humor in the situation, and Nash laughed out loud, his whole body quaking against my back. Well, with any luck, weve unlocked infinite health for you, he said.
Emma smiled back briefly, then her face grew serious. Was it like the others? I just collapsed?
Yeah. I hated having to tell her about her own death. In midsentence.
Why?
We dont know, Nash said before I could answer. I let his response stand, because technically it was the truth, even if it wasnt the whole truth. And because I didnt want Emma mixed up in anything that involved a psychotic, extra-grim, female reaper.
She thought for a moment, her fingers skimming the white hospital blanket. When her hand bumped the beds controller, she picked it up, glancing at the buttons briefly before meeting my gaze again. How did you do it?
Thatscomplicated. I searched for the right words, but they wouldnt come. I dont know how to explain it, and its not really important. At least as far as Emma was concerned. What matters is that youre okay.
She pressed a button on the controller, and the head of the bed rose several inches beneath her. So what happened with Julie?
That was the question Id been dreading. I glanced at my lap, where my fingers were twisting one another into knots. Then I shifted to look at Nash, hoping he had a better, less traumatizing way to explain it than simply She died for you.
But evidently he did not. We saved your life, and wed do it again if we had to. But death is just like life in some ways, Em. Everything has a price.
A price? Emma flinched, and her hand clenched the controller. The bed lowered beneath her, but she didnt even notice. You killed Julie to save me?
No! I reached out for Emma, but she scooted backward into the pillow, horrified. We had nothing to do with Julie dying! But when we brought you back, we created a sort of vacuum, and something had to fill it. Which wasnt exactly true. But I couldnt explain that there shouldnt have been a price for her life without telling her about bean sidhes, and reapers, and other, darker things I didnt even understand yet myself.
