“Guard him? Jonah, what are you—”
“Another bad phrasing. I’d like it if you could stay with him until I get back. Would that be okay?”
I repeat slowly, because surely I’ve gotten this wrong, “You want me to stay in your brother’s room and not talk to anyone but the Shamans.”
“Yes.” He’s relieved. “Exactly.”
A thousand questions whirl around my mind, but I hold them at bay as he helps me into Kellan’s room, locking the door to my room behind us. It’s very quiet in here, almost too quiet.
And then he truly blows me away when he leads me straight to Kellan’s bed. When he pulls the covers aside, I stutter, “What are you…you mean…you want me to lay down here?”
He won’t look at me. “You need to sleep, and it’s not like you can get good rest while sitting in a chair for several hours, Chloe.”
Did I hit my head in the cave? Do I have brain damage? Am I hallucinating? “But…? But…!”
He clears his throat and stares at his brother. “I know you’re worried this will upset me, but—this is . . .” He clears his throat again, then looks up at me. His eyes are flat, devoid of anything I can use to ascertain the truth. “It’s the lesser of two evils, I guess.”
My eyebrows shoot sky-high.
There’s a small laugh, followed by, “Another bad word phrasing. I’m apparently on a roll tonight, which isn’t good, is it? Since I need to be on my toes for tonight’s meeting?” He reaches over to squeeze my hand. “Don’t worry about upsetting me. This is my idea. And . . . weird as it may seem, it will actually relieve me to know you two are together while I’m gone.”
He pats the spot next to Kellan, but all I can do is stare at it. I mean . . . it’s not like anything will happen. Kellan’s in a coma, and I’m recovering from dehydration, and Jonah is putting his trust in me, in us, to do . . .? I don’t know what, exactly. Which is part of the problem. “Why do you need me to guard him?”
He doesn’t even hesitate to say, “You’re the only other person I trust to be with him if I can’t.”
I ask, “Astrid?” I don’t even bother mentioning his dad. Why should I? Since we’ve moved to Annar, he sees his dad even less than when we lived in California.
“Also coming to the meeting.” After a quick glance at a clock nearby, he takes my elbow and helps me into the bed. My limbs feel disjointed as I slide under the sheets. The sky is falling and it’s raining cats and dogs and soon, somebody will run in and tell us that Armageddon and Ragnarok and all those other doomsday scenarios are upon us.
I should make another bed. That’s the logical solution. Right?
“How long will you be gone?” My voice comes out weird, all high-pitched and scratchy.
The blanket is tucked in around me on the side facing the edge of the bed. “I’m hoping to be back before morning. I’ll leave word downstairs that you two are not to be disturbed by anyone, save your assigned Shamans. Promise me you won’t talk to anyone until I get back?”
This is so weird, so wild, but I agree, because it makes him happy. He sighs in relief and leans down and kisses me. It’s soft and short, just a peck, really, like he feels the awkwardness of kissing me while I’m in a bed, next to his brother. And then he’s gone, leaving me to gape at the space he once occupied.
I’m much too wound up now to fall asleep, so I spend my time flipping through channels on the massive flat screen mounted on the wall opposite the bed I’m in. True to stereotype, I have a zillion channels at my disposal but nothing of interest to watch.
A knock on the door sounds before it opens, and I click off the TV, expecting to see one of the Shamans. But no—the Goblin in the doorway isn’t in scrubs. She’s dressed in a soft, gray shift, her brown hair streaked with violet and tied back into a sloppy ponytail.
“Hello, Chloe.”
I simply stare at her while Caleb reminds me of Jonah’s request.
“We haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet.” She hovers near the doorway. “I’m Sam. I work with Kellan.” A slim hand motions towards the person I’m lying next to. When I don’t say anything in return, she adds, “I’ve been worried about him.”
Don’t talk to anyone but the Shamans, is what Jonah asked of me. Even still, I can’t help but wonder—is this one of the girls Kellan has distracted himself with? She’s pretty—very pretty—and they’ve apparently got this Guard thing in common, but—
“That’s some crazy stuff you guys went through,” Sam is saying to me. My eyes refocus on her as she takes a couple steps closer. “The entire Guard is talking about it.”
Why is she here?