I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face against him as he ran his hands through my hair and kept kissing the top of my head. Having him here was helping soothe the hole in my heart. I’d never before had someone with me when Rasha was in the hospital.
Eventually, I released him, and he sat beside me, keeping his hands on me so I didn’t lose that connection. We sat there, staring at Rasha for a long time, but she wasn’t waking up.
After what felt like hours, Basil whispered, “Maybe I can heal her and break the hex.”
“I’ve had witches try before. Nothing’s worked.”
“I’m stronger than other witches.”
I didn’t respond right away. “That might be true, but this isn’t somethin’ your magic can fix.”
He squeezed my hand. “You sound sure.”
“I am. There’s… there’s nothin’ anyone can do. I’ve gone to every single culture and doctor and magic user that exists. No one’s been able to help us at all.”
“Can I try?”
I hesitated, then figured there was no harm in lettin’ him see for himself. “Yeah.”
“If I hold her hand, it’ll be easier for me to sense what’s wrong.”
“Go ahead.” I didn’t even hesitate this time, which… kinda proved I was comin’ along with trusting him.
He picked up her hand, and I felt his electric magic come to life around us. Even though it felt stormy, it didn’t feel evil. In fact, it felt and smelled fresh, like a summer storm. His black shadow magic draped over Rasha like a second skin as Basil concentrated with his eyes closed. He was like that for several minutes before he finally released his magic, and the black shadow disappeared along with the stormy energy.
“Fuck,” he whispered.
“I told you.”
His gaze met mine, the sorrow in those dark eyes matched my own, and he whispered, “I’m so sorry, Hiro. I thought… if I could just… but it’s like there’s nothing there to heal.”
“That’s what all magic users tell me.”
“I’m sorry… we’ll figure it out.”
“There’s nothing to figure out, Basil. I’ve tried everything.”
He nodded. “My family has a lot of old texts and magical items. We might be able to find something that others don’t have access to. I’d like to take a look at least.”
I shrugged. He wasn’t going to find anything, but I understood the compulsion to try doing something, and it wouldn’t hurt anything for him to poke around in his old books or whatever. “Okay.”
He leaned in and kissed my temple. “We’ll figure this out… you don’t have to do it alone anymore.”
Tearing my gaze from Rasha, I stared into his eyes and could see… I could see and fuckin’ feel how much he meant that, how much he meant it when he said I wasn’t alone. He wanted to stick around, and… I didn’t know what to do with that, I didn’t know how to react or what to say or what to think. But I did know that it helped fill that hole in my heart further, so I nodded at him.
He offered me a small smile, then pulled me into a hug. And I let him. I let him because it felt good to have someone help carry the burden, it felt good to be with someone when my world was falling apart rather than feeling completely alone.
I let him because I needed a fuckin’ hug, I needed his fuckin’ strength to help pull Rasha and me through this.
Chapter Fourteen
Basil
“Hiro?” I said quietly. I’d been sitting here for hours with him, and there had been no change in Rasha’s condition.
He lifted his red-rimmed eyes to me and raised a brow.
“Would it be okay if Ailin came to see if he can help her?”
His open expression fell as he placed his mask back over his features, and I frowned at the now-stone-hard hunter before me instead of the man whose daughter was unconscious. “No.”
I stifled a sigh. “He’s better at healing magic than I am, so I—”
“I don’t know him, Basil.”
“But I do.”
He didn’t say anything.
“He’s my brother-dad-kinda person. He cares about people, and he would do everything in his power to save a kid, even one he doesn’t know. He’d definitely do everything in his power to save the kid of his brother’s viramore. He’s a good person, Hiro. I promise you that.”
“He threatened me.”
I waved that away. “He threatens everyone, and he just wanted to be sure you weren’t going to hurt me. He might be able to help us.”
He sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes.
I scooted closer, peeled his hand away, and held it in both of mine. “I would never do anything to jeopardize your daughter, Hiro. Never in a thousand realms. I want to help her.”
He searched my eyes for a long minute, then finally gave me the briefest of nods. But that was all I needed. I sent a message to Jorah and Thayer through our link, Send Ailin to the hospital to help Hiro’s daughter.
Will do, Jorah said at the same time that Thayer said, We will.
With that done, I refocused on my viramore, saying, “Ailin should be here soon.”
He gave me a strange look. “What? Was he already on his way before you even asked me?”
I could feel his anger coming to a head. “No, I asked my brothers to get him.” I tapped my head.
His face morphed into confusion. “What are you talkin’ about?”
I blinked. Oh shit. “Oh, well, shit. I never told you, did I?”
“Told me what?”
“My brothers and I… we can speak telepathically—just the Three, not like all of my siblings or anything.”
“You can speak in your head with two of your brothers?”
My brow furrowed. “Yes, and—” I cut myself off before I said too much. With the way he was with witches, I was afraid to bring it up.
“And what?” He narrowed his eyes.
I sighed. “When we bond completely, you do know that you and I will, uh, be able to speak telepathically, too.”
His eyebrows slowly rose on his head. “I read that somewhere, but I didn’t really believe it.”
“Well, it’s true.”
He stared at me for a few seconds before huffing and turning away.
When he didn’t say anything for another minute, I gently asked, “That’s it?”
“I don’t know what ya want me to say. I have enough shit to worry about here.”
“Okay, bu—”
He turned on me. “Will you be able to control my mind?”
“No. And even if I could, I would never do that to you or anyone.”
“To Rasha?”
I jerked back as if he’d slapped me. “Of course, I’d never do that to her! I would protect her with my life if I had to. I don’t mess with people’s heads. I would never fucking do that. I know what it feels like to have that happen to you, and… I would never wish that on another person.”
He searched my eyes for a few seconds, then nodded with a quiet, “Okay.” He fell silent again, staring at his little girl, but after a few minutes, he said, “When she’s better and I have a minute to actually think, you’re gonna tell me what you meant about knowin’ how it feels. I can’t… I can’t concentrate right now.”