Sloan gently grabbed the crook of Evan’s elbow, to force his attention. He peeled his eyes off Kylie’s angelic face and looked into Sloan’s serious, steel-gray eyes. “When she wakes, tread carefully. She fooled you once; she could do it again. Williams has a way of twisting the truth. Learn her intentions.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Sloan. You know first-hand how my family handles Williams’ defectors. If that’s what she wants to do, she’ll be welcomed into the fold like you were.” The edge in Evan’s voice had Cole out of his seat and on alert. Evan caught the motion in his peripherals and glanced in Cole’s direction nodding once before looking back at Sloan and softening his words with a tight-lipped smile. “Thanks, Sloan.” He took a deep, calming breath. “I’ll be careful when I talk with her. If I suspect anything, I’ll take her out myself.”
Sloan let her hand drop and stepped aside.
“C’mon Sloan,” Cole held out his hand. “Let’s get you something to eat and find a spot to rest. You’ve been taking care of everyone else tonight. It’s your turn, kid.” He smiled at her tired eyes. She reached out to accept his offer and leaned against him as they made their way to the kitchen.
Farrow smiled at the couple. Her eyes easily found who she was looking for: Alik. She moved to follow Sloan and Cole to the kitchen thinking she would prepare something simple for him to eat and coax him to rest. As she moved nearer to him, she saw his eyes alight with joy at seeing his mother easily performing the physical therapy mobility tests Dr. Andrews was conducting on her. In that instant, she saw the little boy he used to be as he grinned widely at his mother’s happy tears.
He’s such a good person, she thought with a blush and a smile she tried to hide from him as she moved past the three to the kitchen. Just as she was about to round the corner, she glanced back over her shoulder at the boy she loved. He caught her eye and winked before nodding toward his mom as if to say, “Can you believe this?” Farrow grinned and nodded back. She didn’t have to speak. She simply put her hands over her heart and bowed her head.
Alik pointed to the sky.
Farrow nodded and did the same.
They knew it. These miracles were all God.
Farrow waved and went about her task.
Alik turned back to his mother and watched her walk across the room just as if she’d never been shot in the spine.
Evan had moved the heavy coffee table carefully so as not to disturb the candles placed there. He positioned it beside Kylie so he could perch on the corner. He wore simple linen trousers and a tan T-shirt. Not fifteen minutes before, he’d taken a fast, cold shower trying to rinse off the layer of sand that had caked his skin in the short distance between the lake and the villa. Now that he was dry and somewhat clean, he felt more himself. His longish, untamed sandy-blonde hair that had been finger-combed had resumed its typical messy, gravity-defying angles. He hadn’t realized it yet, but both his body and face looked much older than fourteen. The physical changes that seemed partially in place since his metamorphosis four months ago, seemed to have clicked into final transformation in one night: one life-changing night.
His physical conversion had gone completely unnoticed to him. He was too focused on the face of the girl who brought him and his family to the brink of extinction that night. He had so many questions for her he didn’t even know where to begin.
“Why am I not in pain?” Her voice came in a breathy whisper. Her eyes were still closed, as though she dreaded what was on the other side of her lids.
Evan let out a breath of air that he didn’t realize he’d been holding and responded with the first thing that came to mind: the truth. “My little brother prayed for your healing. God answered his prayers.”
“I’m not dead?” she asked, eyes still shut.
“Open your eyes, Kylie. See for yourself.” Evan suggested. He watched closely as her eyelids fluttered open. She slowly turned to look at Evan.
She frowned and blinked into the candlelight.
“Where are we?”
“Safe, for now.”
Kylie reached up to carefully touch the places on her body that should be shot and torn. Evan watched her frown deepen when she felt only smooth skin.
“Am I dreaming?” she whispered.
Evan shook his head, his hands clasped together forcing him to remain calm. “This is all very much real, Kylie.”
She took in his grim expression and nodded once. Looking around the room at people smiling at one another, huddled talking in hushed tones—some of them dozing, sharing blankets and pillows.
This is a family, she mused.
“I don’t belong here,” she blurted the first thing that came to mind.
“Where do you belong?” Evan asked as he watched her green eyes.
She lowered her eyes and picked at the edge of the linen robe she wore.
Evan didn’t let her get away with silence. “Answer me, Kylie.”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. She sat up and rubbed some sand from her eyes.