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.“He was protecting me.They won’t let me see him.Won’t tell me anything.I’m not family.”Nick’s gaze draws slowly over her.Takes in the big eyes, messy, blood streaked hair.Flinches at the fresh bruises on her neck that cover the old yellowing ones.Hovers on the red brown of dried blood that coats her clothing.“Is any of that yours?”She looks down at herself.Eyes go wide.She begins to tremble.Shakes her head slowly.“Not mine.All his.”Nick’s eyes dart over to Asmoday, looking as worried as he feels, then squats in front of her.He takes her hands in his.“His parents are on their way.We’ll find out how he is.He’s strong.”“He lost so much blood, Nick.” She stares at her shirt again.“I can’t lose him.I can’t…”Nick pulls her in for a hug.“Shh.It’s o.k.”Keely allows him to hug her for a moment before pulling away.“We don’t know that yet.Please.Just… I just need…”Asmoday clears his throat.“May I speak with you?”Nick looks at him questioningly.Asmoday stands and begins walking down the hall.Nick hesitates, not sure if he should leave Keely, but Asmoday stops at the vending machines about twenty feet away.“She needs to be left alone,” Asmoday begins as Nick comes up quickly behind him.“She doesn’t want anyone making her feel better.”“Did she say that?”Asmoday looks over his shoulder and gazes at him evenly.“She does not need to.” He turns his attention back to the machine and purchases a bottle of water.“She cannot allow herself to welcome comfort while she knows he is suffering.I am aware it makes little sense, but that is how she feels none the less.”“I can’t leave her alone.She’s in constant danger.In case you haven’t noticed.”“That has come to my attention,” he growls.“You do not need to be so literal.Just sit beside her.Do not touch her.Do not tell her everything is going to be all right.Let her think.”“Let her suffer, you mean.”“If that is how you want to look at it.” Asmoday nods his head.“It’s what she wants.Smothering her is what you want.It will do her no good.”“I don’t trust you,” Nick admits.“I don’t believe you really care about what’s good for her.”Asmoday twists around, hands in fists, squeezing the bottle.His eyes are slits of furry as he fixes them on the Guardian.“It is all I care about.”“Then leave her alone.You can’t think you’re good for her?”“No.I do not,” Asmoday admits.“But I do not know you are either.” He drops his gaze to the bottle in his hand.“At least I understand her.At least I am willing to give her what she needs.”“You’re willing to give her what she wants.That’s not the same thing.I’m not afraid to push her where she needs to be.”“Perhaps you push too hard.”“Did she say that?”Asmoday flashes a white smile.“She does not have to.” He moves to walk around Nick, but is stopped with a hand to his arm.Asmoday looks down at Nick’s hand and glowers at him.“You can’t protect her like I can.”“I have already protected her more than you will ever be able to.”Nick scoffs.“Right.Whatever, man.”“Apophis is no longer a threat,” Asmoday says quietly.Nick looks around them.“You killed him?”“No.”Nick grunts out a laugh.“Then he’s still a threat.”“I pledged my allegiance to him.He is inhibited from causing harm to her.”“The Hierarchy will probably not agree to this.In fact, I can guarantee they won’t.If you are aligned with Apophis, then you will be considered an enemy of the Angel.”“I am aware.”“Why did you do it?”Asmoday looks back at him and laughs softly.“Why do you think?”Nick shakes his head.“Well you just made things real easy for me.”“That was my intention.I was only thinking of how I could help you,” he spits sarcastically.“Why didn’t you just kill him?”“She was right there.He had his hands on her.Her friend was bleeding to death.I did what was necessary.”“I still don’t trust you.”“You will when I give you Apophis.I may not be able to kill him, but you are.” He shrugs and smiles innocently at Nick.“And if you kill each other in the process, well, that will just work out perfectly.”“You don’t have a chance.Not even then,” Nick says wryly.“It does not mean I am not going to try.” He leaves Nick to digest that and goes back to Keely.Opens the bottle of water and hands it to her.She looks at it as if she doesn’t have the slightest idea what to do with it.“Drink,” he says gently.Keely puts the bottle to her lips and sips the water.The cold trails down her throat and sits in her stomach, knotting it sharply.She stares at the double doors that lead into the emergency room.Watches Nick approach an older couple.The woman turns and Keely realizes they’re Bryon’s parents.“Why did it take you so long?”Asmoday looks at her quickly.“What?”“Why did it take you so long to come for me? If you had gotten there sooner we could have gotten Bryon help quicker.”Asmoday flinches at her words.His throat feels very dry.“I tried.I could not get inside.I knew you were scared.I knew you were suffering in some way, but I could not get to you.” His hands roll into fists, turning white at the knuckles.“There was some kind of spell on the building that prohibited me from entering.I didn’t know what to do or how to break such a spell.” He closes his eyes.“I went after the Grimoire.I thought perhaps there may be something in it to counteract the spell.That school, the Academy, it has the same spell around its grounds.I could not enter there either.“Then I felt something change.You grew strong.Unafraid.” He shakes his head.“I thought you were out of danger
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