Plague of Mybyncia (32 page)

Tucker, Werzo and Booker make for the door
behind Clarence. Jace heads after, but pauses with a look over his
shoulder. “Boss?”

Reid silently shakes his head, sitting on the
edge of the center bed. He leans forward with his head down, his
elbows on his knees and fingers threaded.

Pratt and Mae exchange glances.

“Uh—we’ll hang out with you guys for a bit…”
Pratt makes her way to the door, Mae right behind her. “I’m not too
tired yet.”

“Me neither,” Mae looks back to us with a
soft smile. “We’ll return in a little while.”

The group heads out, leaving Reid and I
alone. A long, silent moment passes and Reid keeps his head down,
lowered between his shoulders. He inhales and just when I think
he’s going to say something, he doesn’t, his anxious breath the
only sound in the room.

“Reid?” It comes out a whisper.

Another long minute passes. “Yes?”

“Look at me.”

Slowly he lifts his head, his brows arching
so high in sadness that my chest tightens. He brings his threaded
fingers up and rests his chin on them. For a long moment he just
looks at me, like he’s trying to figure something out.

“What?”

He inhales again, a large lump rolling down
his throat. Still watching me, his focus jets to my leg, some
thought ticking away.

I search his eyes, trying to understand. “Are
you mad?”

“No.” His voice is soft, fragile almost.

“Then….”

“I thought you were dead. I thought that
Gorgen crushed you. And this life…” he shakes his head, his eyes
misting over. He stands and starts pacing the room.

“What?” When he stays silent, I press him.
“Tell me…
please
.”

“I thought this life was over.”

I frown. “But you have—”

“Everyday,” he exhales as he walks, “everyday
I have to deal with the fact that my family and Allison are
somewhere without me,
grieving
me. Everyday it breaks my
heart that I did that to them, that I
chose
that for them.
But I know… I
know
it was the right decision. It was the
only decision and I would make it again for the rest of my life,”
he pauses and, with a heavy look, focuses on me. “Because this is
where I’m supposed to be. Here…” he gulps, “…with you.”

My heart stops. I want to ask a million
questions, say the thousand thoughts running through my head, but
instead, I manage the only thing I can. “What do they think
happened to you?”

Reid continues pacing, arms crossed over his
chest. It’s a few minutes before he speaks again, and when he does,
he keeps his head lowered, as though talking to himself. “I taught
Kung Fu. In my studio—it’s what I did. Sometimes I competed,” he
inhales deeply, head still down as he paces. “I was coming back
from a competition in Moscow and there was some sort of
malfunction… the plane went down. I was…” his breath hitches,
“…
certain
I’d die. In fact, I even prayed. First real time
in my life. I asked God, please,
please
let me live. I
wasn’t ready. There was so much I didn’t do, so much I
wanted
to. If I got another chance, I would make it count. I
would take whatever time I had and make the most of it.” Reid
gulps, the terror reflecting in his eyes. “But I was sure it was
over. And I’d never get that chance. Everyone was screaming and the
sounds the plane made....” he shakes his head, sinking into the
memory. A quiet moment passes before he starts again. “I must’ve
been knocked out or something because the next thing I remember is
Clarence dragging me onto a beach. He looked unsure… like he was
trying to decide something. But by that point, I didn’t even
remember the plane crash. He told me there was a huge calamity and
that he was there to help me. To save me… to take me to my new
home.” Reid closes his eyes briefly, his voice growing quiet. “I
didn’t even remember the promise I’d made. Not until Harrizel, not
until Clarence gave me back my memories. At first I thought
Harrizel—everything that happened—was my second chance, and that
I’d go back to my old life and fulfill the promise I’d made.” Reid
slowly shakes his head again, a long quiet moment passing. “But it
wasn’t.”

“How do you know?” It comes out a
whisper.

“Because,” he steps closer, a lump rolling
down his throat. “Being on that plane was the best thing that ever
happened to me.”

I bite my lip, my chest constricting with an
overwhelming swell. It’s hard to breathe, hard to speak. “But you
had a life… a fiancé.”

Reid nods.

“How…” I gulp, afraid of his answer, “…how
can you give that up?”

“It’s not easy. It’s…” he inhales, rubbing
his hands down his face, “…the
hardest
thing I’ve ever had
to do.”

“Then why—”

He laughs, “You really don’t get it, do
you?”

“What?”

Reid kneels in front of me, taking my hand in
his. He brings it to his mouth and kisses my palm. A hot tingle
flutters through me, my breath catching as I look between his eyes.
He closes them and, still holding my hand, he brings it to his
cheek, leaning into me. I can only watch as he sinks into a serene
calm. “What you mean to me.”

A sweet bloom aches in my chest, heavy and
full. There’s so much I want to say, so much to ask about him…
about us. Is this his way of telling me he’s done waiting? Do I
ask? Or can I just tell him what I want… what I
feel
?

Alright, here it goes. “Reid, I—”

The coral door bursts opens, the Rogues and
Clarence all suddenly filing into the room, Pratt and Mae right
behind them. Everyone stops, shifting focus between Reid and me,
aware they’re imposing on some important moment.

“S-sorry, Boss,” Tucker stutters, “the
attendants wanted to close the Dining Hall. But uh… we can come
back—”

“No,” Reid rises to a stand. “You’re
fine.”

“Are you sure?” Jace smirks, glancing at me.
“We’ve got enough Hunnis to last the rest of the night if you need
it. We’ll go drinking in the Great Hall or something.”

“There’s still some left?” I toss him a
quizzical look.

“Not much,” Booker laughs, moving further
into the room. “But I’ve had my share for
long
enough.”

“Me too,” Tucker sighs, eyeing the bed. “I’m
ready for sleep.”

“You’re ready for breakfast, so you can see
the princess.”

“Shut up, Werzo,” Tucker scowls.

“Alright kids,” Clarence laughs, “let’s all
get some sleep. Fallon, how’s that leg feeling?”

“Not bad.”

“Good. We’ll have the Healers take a look
tomorrow but for
now
,” he glances around, catching eyes with
everyone, “right now, let’s everyone get some sleep.”

“Dibs for the bed!” Werzo shouts, jumping on
the large, circular mattress in the center of the room.

“You realize you have to share that with the
rest of the Rogues?” Jace hooks his hands on his hips. “Right?”

Werzo eyes the open begs. “Not necessarily. A
few of the beds have opened up.”

“Yeah, Pratt, Mae and Fallon each get their
own,” Tucker crosses his arms. “Rox would get the last and we’re
all sharing this one.”

Werzo looks from Rogue to Rogue.

“That,” Jace steps forward, “or you can sleep
on the floor.”

With an annoying sigh, Werzo climbs onto the
very edge of the bed, the rest of the Rogues following, nestling
themselves onto the soft navy linen. Clarence slumps to the ground
and Reid remains standing. He eyes the central mattress filled with
Rogues and then glances to me. Silently, he makes his way for my
bed.

“Reid…” Clarence clears his throat, “maybe
giving Fallon some space might be the smarter choice?”

“It’s fine—I’m fine.”

“Still,” Clarence sighs. “It’s probably
better not to crowd you. Reid can sleep on the floor or in that
last coral bed.”

Reid looks at me but I shake my head
again.

“Eh—do whatever you want,” Clarence exhales,
slumping down to the floor. “Just mind her leg. It’s bad enough as
it is. She doesn’t need any unnecessary pressure on it.”

“That’s not the pressure he’s planning on…”
Werzo mumbles into his pillow.

“Quiet,” Tucker demands. “
Everyone
.
Let’s get some sleep.”

“Don’t worry, Rogue Leader. You’ll see your
princess soon enough,” Jace lets out a chuckle which morphs into a
hearty yawn. He slaps his lips together, “Night everyone…”

Reid climbs into the coral structure with me
and my heart races. We haven’t shared the same bed—alone—since
Harrizel and it was something I thought would never happen again.
Once he’s adjusted, the feeling of him envelops me, especially as
he wraps his arms around my waist, his face resting in the crook of
my neck. He exhales his sweet breath and I drown in the scent of
him, letting it take me away.

“Rise and shine, kiddies,” Clarence says.
“Time for breakfast with the queen.”

I rub my eyes, wiping the sleep free. Warm
breath rushes down my neck and it takes me a second to remember
last night, when Reid crawled into bed with me. A hot flutter
invades my belly when I realize he’s wrapped himself around me,
squeezing my body like a vise. He exhales and when I glance back, I
find him with both eyes still shut, a look of serenity on his
smiling lips.

“Hey…” I whisper, turning in his hold.
“Reid…”

“Hmm…”

“Reid.”

“Baby…” he murmurs, gripping me tighter.

My heart skips, my chest constricting with
the same wonderful ache from yesterday. I gaze down at his face,
still so deep in sleep and serenity. Quietly I lean in, kissing the
tip of his nose. “
Reid
,” I whisper. “Time to get up.”

His eyes dart open, flickering around,
searching. When he sees me, he relaxes into a comforting smile.
“Morning.”

“Hi.”

Still excitedly grinning, he sits up and I
follow. With a long yawn, Reid runs his hands down his face before
jumping out of the bed. He joins the other Rogues who are up and
moving with yawns and stretches, all except Werzo, who is still
sound asleep and snoring loudly.

“What time is it?” Pratt asks.

“
Early
,” Clarence says. “We need to
get to the Dining Hall before the queen and princess.”

“Must be like Christmas for you,” Jace
smiles at Tucker, crossing his arms. “Going to ask her to go steady
finally?”

“Give it a rest, Jace.”

“What?”

“Werzo,” Reid calls, “get up, man. It’s
time.”

“Justafew…” a deep grumble,
“moreminutes…”

“Now.”

“Aw…” Werzo pushes himself up with a loud,
exasperated gruff. Running his arm over his eyes, he slaps his lips
together and exhales. “There any coffee?”

“How’s your leg?” Mae stands, folding her
arms as she approaches my bed.

“About the same.”

“The Healers will treat you right after
breakfast. Now,” Clarence glances around, “since it’s not really
feasible putting Fallon in a suit, we’ve requested for the
breakfast to be held in English. Normally this wouldn’t happen and
especially
with the queen feeling the way she does,” he
rolls his eyes, “but for today we can forgo the suits. Alright,” he
claps, glancing around the room. “Everyone ready?”

Reid turns to me. Slipping one hand behind
my back and the other beneath my knees, he scoops me into his arms
so I’m cradled to his chest. “Good?”

“Yep.”

“Then we’re off,” Clarence leads us through
the darkened corridor filled with sleeping Mybyncians, into the
Great Hall and then through the passage leading to the Dining
Hall.

When we arrive, Sampson and Qippert are
already seated at the impressive round table while Mallup and the
other attendants stand against the wall, pitchers in their hands,
waiting. She looks up as Clarence leads us in, glaring at me in
Reid’s arms before returning focus to the floor. I stifle a smile
as he places me carefully in one of the marble chairs.

“This okay?”

“Fine, thanks,” I grin up at him and he
winks.

Reid moves around the table, taking the
chair to Sampson’s right and once everyone is seated, Mallup and
the other attendants move around the table, filling our cups.

“I hope everyone slept well,” Sampson says
before turning to me. “And Fallon—how is your leg faring?”

“Not working, unfortunately.”

“Yes, well,” he strums his fingers on the
table, “best not to bring it up. The Healers will see to it first
thing after breakfast, but, if you can, try not to mention it.”

“Why?” Pratt asks.

“It’s probably best to keep things on a
positive note. The queen,” Sampson exhales, “is still unhappy about
our little trip.”

“She hasn’t cooled down?” I frown.

“She is better than yesterday,” Qippert
says. “But no, I do not think she will ever be completely content
with the way things went.”

“Yes…” Sampson agrees, “So let’s keep things
light. We’re all back and
alive
,” his eyes flicker to my
leg, “and so we should remind her.”

Suddenly Sampson and Qippert move to a
stand, the entire table following suit. Clarence sweeps his arms
beneath me and I’m up in the air again, pressed to him just as the
queen, chancellor and all three princesses appear in the
tunnel.

Queen Ravan scans the room, Ariana and her
sisters surrounding her. Sansa possesses a look of calm civility
while Varille scowls with disinterest, wanting to be anywhere but
here. I lock eyes with Ariana, offering a quick smile and she’s
more than happy to return it, blushing as she scans the others.
Chancellor Keller moves into the room quickly, gesturing to the
queen and princesses to take their seats.

“Please…” he indicates to their chairs. They
take their seats and once sitting, he motions to the rest of us,
“Honored and most valued guests.”