Wrecked Palace

by Catherine Cowles

  Will eased down next to me. “Happy?”

  I smiled at my brother. “You know, despite all the crazy, terrifying moments of the past few months, I am.”

  “Good.” There was a ferocity in his tone. As though if I weren’t happy, he’d do everything in his power to make it so.

  “What about you?”

  Will’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “It’s weird. But so much of what I was worried about…it just seems like it’s all gone in the blink of an eye. Harriet taking care of college. Griffin taking care of you—”

  “Hey, now,” I said, giving his shoulder a slug. “I’m very capable of taking care of myself.”

  “I know you are, but someone needs to have your back.”

  “You’ve got a mighty big heart in there, you know that?”

  Will’s face flushed. “I get it from my big sister.”

  I pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you make me cry.”

  “Oh, geez,” he said, rolling his eyes.

  My phone beeped, and I slid it from my pocket. An alert. The security system. My heartbeat picked up speed. It was a deer. It had to be. Or maybe Griffin had accidentally set off a sensor when he returned. I tapped a couple of icons on my phone.

  “What is it?” Will asked, moving in close.

  A camera view pulled up, and I caught just a flash of movement. A figure running out of frame. “Girls! Inside, now.”

  They both froze at my tone. But Luci, oblivious to it, kept right on bounding away towards the forest. Will grabbed my phone from my hand and pressed a button. “I sent the alert to the sheriff.”

  I ran to the girls. “Come on, hurry.”

  “Wait,” Mia cried. “Luci.”

  “We’ll get her later. She’ll be fine.” I prayed I was right. Whoever was here could care less about a cat. We were who they wanted to harm.

  “No!” Mia tore from my grip and ran towards the woods where Luci had disappeared.

  Panic swept over me, sharp and fierce. I pushed Ava to Will. “Take her inside to the panic room. You remember the code, right?”

  “You go with Ava,” he argued. “I’ll find Mia and Luci.”

  “No. Will, I need you to do this. Please.”

  He nodded slowly, handing me back my phone. “Be careful. Stay in the woods until we call you with the all-clear.”

  “We will.”

  He was so smart, my brother. Because once I found Mia, we wouldn’t be able to make it safely back to the house. Not with someone prowling the property. I ran towards the tree line and the sound of footsteps against the forest floor.

  “Mia,” I hissed, but she kept right on running. Finally, I caught up with her with a squirming Luci in her arms. “Mia, come here.”

  Her face was red and splotchy. “I’m sorry, Cae Cae, but I couldn’t leave Luci.”

  My stomach twisted. My sweet girl. I pulled her and the cat into my arms. “It’s okay. We’re going to be okay, but we have to be very quiet. I’m going to find us a place to hide.”

  Mia nodded, clutching Luci tighter to her chest. I led them farther away from the farmhouse, constantly scanning the surrounding trees for any sign of movement, my ears primed for any hint of noise. There weren’t any buildings out here, no place to truly hide. Only trees and the pond.

  “Caelyn,” a man called. “I know you’re out here. That little girl, too. If you come out, I won’t hurt the girl.”

  The voice was so familiar, but I couldn’t place it. It sure as hell didn’t sound like my father.

  “What the hell, man? I’m not hurting some kid,” another guy hissed. “And I already almost got caught when I tried to take them from the school.”

  “Shut up,” the first man barked.

  I urged Mia on, praying for her feet to move faster. We almost passed the large tree when I froze. There was a small opening in the trunk. Not big enough for me. But large enough for Mia.

  I bent, motioning her over. “You’re going to hide in here, okay? You stay here until I come get you. Promise? Only come out for someone you trust. Only our family, okay?”

  Her lip trembled. “It’s dark in there.”

  “I know, sweetie, but you’re so brave. And you know who probably lives in there?”

  “Who?”

  I tried my best to force a smile. “Faeries. But you have to be very quiet. It’s the only way they’ll show themselves to you.”

  “Okay.” Her voice trembled. “You’ll come back for me, right?”

  “I promise.”

  She slowly forced herself inside the tree trunk, Luci still in her arms. I tucked a hand inside and squeezed her knee. “I love you. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Love you, Cae Cae.”

  I jogged away from the tree, hoping I hadn’t lied. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was leading the men away from Mia. I skirted the pond, remaining in the shelter of the trees. When I reached the other side, I knew I was running out of places to go. The rest of Griffin’s land was far too open.

  I scanned the trees around me. There was only one option. Up. I found a pine that had some branches low enough for me to reach. With a running jump, I hoisted myself up onto the lowest limb. The bark bit into my hands, but I didn’t utter a sound.

  With as much care as possible, I went from branch to branch until I could be sure I was at least somewhat hidden from any prying eyes below. I strained to hear anything, but only the wind sounded. Sliding my fingers into my back pocket, I pulled out my phone. Quickly, I turned it to silent and brought up a new text. I bit down on my bottom lip as I considered my options. I added Griffin and Parker to the chat.

  I typed out a message, explaining that there were two intruders, where I’d hidden Mia, and roughly where I was located. Within seconds, there was a reply.

  Griffin: Stay where you are. I’m coming.

  Parker: Griffin, do not engage. We’re two minutes out.

  Griffin: I’m armed. Let your officers know.

  The messages flew back and forth before I could interject a response. Help was coming. We would be okay.

  Voices cut through the air. Footsteps came closer and closer. “I know you’re here somewhere. There are only so many places you can go, Caelyn…”

  I sucked in a sharp breath and gripped the branch I rested on. The pain of the bark slicing into my skin barely registered.

  “Where the hell is she, boss? We gotta get her and go. The cops are gonna be here any minute.”

  “Shut up, Darryl. We’re fine,” the first man bit out.

  Darryl. Darryl Kidman. The man whose fingerprints were on the first note I’d received. Why? What had I ever done to him? I leaned forward the slightest bit, trying to get a glimpse of the other man. His boss.

  As I moved, my phone slipped from my grasp. I tried to grab it as it fell, but I couldn’t make contact. It landed with a thump on the forest floor. The air seized in my lungs.

  “Well, what do we have here?” the unidentified man said, picking up the device. “She falls right at our feet.”

  I wasn’t at their feet, not yet. But there was nowhere else for me to go. My gaze zeroed in on the guns in their hands. Guns that could easily shoot me down if they so desired. But the police were here. They knew where I was. Where Mia was. Even if something happened to me, at least the kids would be safe. Tears burned the backs of my eyes. Ford and Bell or Kenna and Crosby would take them in.

  “Get down here.” The man looked straight at me, his face no longer concealed by shadows and the brim of his ballcap.

  Max. The kind man who’d wanted a second job so he could try and get his son back. Max, who’d offered to walk me to my car after we got off work. My voice shook as I spoke. “If I come down there, you’ll kill me.”

  Max swiped off his hat and pointed his gun in my direction. “If you don’t come down here, I’ll fucking kill you. How about that?”

  “Jesus, Max. This wasn’t the plan. We need money from her man. He’ll give it to us to get her back,” Da
rryl whined.

  Max turned the gun on his friend. “Maybe I don’t care about the money anymore.”

  “Shit, man. What’s gotten into you?”

  “Almost seven years locked up. That’s what’s gotten into me. My bitch of a wife thinking she could divorce me while I was inside. And take my fucking son with her when she went. My boy. And it’s all this bitch’s fault.”

  “Why?” I rasped.

  His gaze shot to me, the gun along with it. “You put me away. You cost me everything.”

  “My dad put you away. He was the one who left his phone behind when he went on a drug binge.” I held my tongue from adding that if Max hadn’t done anything illegal, he wouldn’t have gone to jail.

  “And he paid the price. Him and your bitch of a mother.”

  “My dad?” I almost choked on the words.

  “Gutted him like a fish. Had a little go-round with your mother before I killed her. You should’ve seen how she begged. Pathetic.”

  I swallowed back the bile rising up my throat. Sirens cut through the air.

  “Shit!” Darryl cried. “I’m out of here. I’m not going down for this.”

  Without a second’s hesitation, Max pointed his gun at Darryl and pulled the trigger, the bullet landing in his leg. “Good luck running on that.” A second shot hit the hand holding the gun. “Just in case you were thinking of seeking retribution.”

  I didn’t think, I simply jumped. I launched myself from the tree and towards Max. Maybe if I landed hard enough, I’d kill him. The only thing I knew for sure was that surprise was the only tool in my arsenal.

  The force of my landing shocked all the air from my lungs. Pain flared in my ribs and cheek. My muscles from the dump of adrenaline. But the cursing and movement from the body below mine spurred me into motion. I struggled to grab hold of the gun, to point it away from me, towards Max.

  “I’m going to kill you,” he growled. “And I’m going to make it hurt.”

  “Caelyn!” The single word bellowed through the trees belonged to only one man. And hearing Griffin sent a rush of strength through me. I struggled harder, finally gaining purchase on the metal.

  But it was too late. I heard a loud pop. Heat flared in my stomach, a burning pain unlike anything I’d ever experienced. My eyes widened as my body went limp. Too late.

  49

  Griffin

  The world seemed to slow around me, almost as if I were moving through an invisible force field. A pressure keeping me from getting to Caelyn. Then a vicious pop. Her body going limp and rolling over, off the man who wanted to hurt her. To take her from me. The man raised his gun again, this time pointed at me. I didn’t even think. I simply fired. Two shots as close to between the eyes as I could get.

  The other man was screaming, but I could barely hear the words. I picked up the gun at his side and he crawled away as best he could. “D-d-don’t shoot me.”

  “Then don’t fucking move.” I shoved the extra gun into the back of my jeans, running for Caelyn without waiting to see if the man obeyed.

  Her eyes fluttered in a staccato rhythm. Open. Closed. Open. Closed. I crouched next to her. Blood seeped through the t-shirt she wore, staining the blue cotton. I lifted the fabric and cursed. There was too much blood. I pulled off my flannel and pressed it to the wound. Caelyn let out a low moan.

  “I’m so sorry, but I have to stop the bleeding.”

  I could just make out voices on the other side of the pond. “We’re over here,” I shouted. “We need a medic.”

  Caelyn’s eyes flared. “Mia.”

  “We’re gonna get her. Don’t worry. I just need you to focus on your breathing. Keep your eyes on me.”

  Her breaths were too shallow, and no matter how hard I pressed on her wound, the bleeding didn’t seem to slow. Hell, I didn’t even know if the bullet was still inside her body.

  “Griffin,” she wheezed.

  “I’m right here.”

  Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. “Take care of them, my tiny terrors. Promise me you’ll take care of them.”

  My heart spasmed in my chest. “No. Don’t you talk like you’re not going to be here. Help is on its way. It’s only a matter of minutes.”

  “Promise me.” Her eyes pleaded, tears glistening on her cheeks.

  “I promise.” The words ripped from my throat. It was a vow I never wanted to make.

  “Love you,” she whispered.

  “I love you, too. And I’m going to show you every day for the rest of your life. You’re the most important person in the world to me, and you’re not going to leave us.” Why had I waited to make her mine completely? To ask her to be my wife. To spend forever with me. It seemed so trivial now. The length of time we’d been together. None of that mattered when she and the kids were my whole heart. I pressed harder against the wound as blood began to seep through the gaps in my fingers. “Stay with me.”

  But there was no answer. Only silence.

  I shifted Mia in my arms as I glanced around the waiting room. As soon as she arrived at the hospital, she’d flung herself from Will to me. And she hadn’t let go since. She’d finally fallen asleep about thirty minutes ago, but when Bell had offered to take her from me, I’d found it was me who couldn’t let go.

  These kids were the only pieces of Caelyn I had to hold onto. The one thing helping me hold onto hope. Because while Caelyn had been airlifted to Seattle, her heart had stopped. For two whole minutes, Caelyn had ceased to be. And I could feel every second of that time carved into my soul. As soon as we landed, the doctors and nurses had rushed her into surgery, and I was alone.

  A kind nurse had offered me the use of their showers and a clean pair of scrubs. But as I looked down at my hands resting on Mia’s back, I saw that there was still blood under my fingernails. How long would that last? Maybe forever. I swallowed down the scream that wanted to escape.

  Crosby met my gaze from across the room. There was no signature smirk on his face now. Only lines of worry etched deep into his skin. His arm wrapped around his fiancée as she leaned against his chest. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever get to feel that weight again. The heaviness of Caelyn’s head resting over my heart.

  I forced myself to look away. But I was only met with more grief. Will and Ava next to me, his arm rubbing up and down her back as she stared off into space. Bell sat on their opposite side, gripping a water bottle so tightly, I was shocked it hadn’t exploded all over her.

  The visceral pain of every person in the room seemed to clog the air. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. Kenna seemed to see my panic because she stood and held out her hands. “Let me take her for a little bit. You get some air.”

  “Thank you,” I croaked, carefully handing Mia over. As soon as she rested in Kenna’s arms, not waking, I bolted from the room. But I had nowhere to go. I didn’t want to leave the floor, let alone the hospital. So I simply paced, up and down the short stretch of hallway, my feet squeaking against the linoleum each time I turned to head in the other direction. Just as I reached the opposite end for the fifth time, I almost collided with Ford.

  He halted. “You okay?” I only grunted. “All right, that was a stupid question. Of course, you’re not okay. What can I do?”

  “Turn back the clock. Not allow me to leave them unprotected.” Each of the words burned a trail of pain and guilt up my throat.

  Ford’s expression hardened. “You didn’t leave them unprotected. You left them with a state-of-the-art security system in place.”

  “I shouldn’t have left them at all,” I bellowed. And I would never forgive myself for it.

  Ford gripped my shoulders, his fingers digging into the muscles there and giving me a good shake. “Do not let yourself go there, man. It’s not going to help the kids or Caelyn. You need to keep your head on straight. You can’t lose it.”

  I gave a jerky nod. “I’m fucking terrified.”

  Ford pulled me into a hard hug. “I know. But Caelyn is strong. If
anyone can beat this, it’s her.”

  “Mr. Lockwood?”

  I turned to face a doctor, who stood with the same nurse that had given me the clean scrubs. “Yes. How’s Caelyn? Is she okay?”

  I couldn’t read a thing from the doctor’s face. She looked to be in her fifties, the picture of professionalism with her braids woven into a tight bun atop her head and a carefully blank expression on her face. “She’s being moved from recovery to ICU now.”

  ICU. That wasn’t good. ICU was for people on the verge. The nurse took pity on me and added, “That’s completely normal for patients coming out of a serious surgery.”

  The doctor nodded. “The bullet damaged a piece of Ms. O’Connor’s liver. We performed a partial removal of the damaged area—”

  “You took a part of her liver?” I barked. “She needs that to live, doesn’t she?”

  “The liver regenerates. She has the potential to make a full recovery,” she explained.

  “Potential?” My voice cracked on the single word.

  “Ms. O’Connor had a second code during surgery. We were able to get her heart beating again, but we won’t know if there has been any brain damage until she wakes up.”

  Brain damage. The words echoed around in my head. “But she’s going to live?”

  The doctor’s lips pursed. “The first twenty-four hours are crucial, but we’re optimistic.”

  I nodded my head slowly, having gone completely numb. The nurse took a step towards me. “I can take you up to her room if you’d like.”

  “Yes. Please.”

  Ford thumped my back. “I’m going to fill everyone in.”

  “Thanks.” I didn’t think I had it in me to repeat those words. I silently followed the nurse down the hall and to a bank of elevators. She didn’t try and make idle chitchat as the elevator took us up five floors. I appreciated it. She led me down another hall and into a ward that was oval in shape. Individual rooms surrounded what appeared to be a nurses’ station. It was clear that there were more nurses to patients here than on a regular floor.