“Alive. Barely, but he’s eaten some chicken soup this morning, so I do believe he’ll make it.”
“The boys?”
“Fine. They’re fine. Thad died. Tom Buckwell’s leg had to be cut off. Jennifer and Ru didn’t make it, but other than that, we’ve survived the storm.”
Rose breathed.
Tears swelled in Grandma’s blue eyes. “Never again, you hear me? Never again. Next time something like this happens, you go into the Broken and let somebody else fight it out!”
“Okay.” Rose reached and touched her hand. “It’s okay.”
“You were almost dead, baby. Your blueblood dragged you back from the dead, kicking and screaming.”
“What happened to William?”
“He’s gone. Didn’t say a word. Just vanished after everything was over.”
Declan loomed in the doorway. He saw her and swallowed. Quietly Grandma rose and stepped aside. Rose held out her arms. He staggered in, slowly, and lowered himself on the floor near her. She took his hand in hers and fell asleep.
ROSE awoke in her bed. The light coming through the window meant late morning. She had woken up several times during the night, terrified that she had only dreamed being alive and having Declan near. He’d slept by her bed on the floor, on a stack of blankets, and every time she panicked, he was there, until finally she crawled off the bed and lay on the floor next to him, drifting off in his arms. The next time she had shrugged off sleep, she found Jack curled up on their feet and George out cold in her bed.
Declan and the boys were gone now, and she was back in her bed. She didn’t worry. She knew he wouldn’t leave without her.
It didn’t seem real. She lay for a long time feeling the texture of the sheets under her fingers and trying to convince herself that this was real, that it wasn’t some hallucination flashing before her mind as she lay dying on the church floor. She failed and finally pushed herself upright. If it was a hallucination, she might as well enjoy it while it lasted.
The muscles in her legs felt soft, like wet cotton, but she managed to make it to the bathroom and then to the kitchen before her legs gave out.
“Rose!” Grandma dropped the steaming kettle back on the stove and caught her, sliding her into the chair.
“Where are they?”
“Outside. He went walking. He can’t run yet, but he wouldn’t stay in bed. I sent the hooligans with him in case he topples over. Here.” Grandma put a bowl of Cocoa Puffs in front of her.
Rose put a spoonful into her mouth. “Oh, my God. Thish ish the besht thing I ever tashted.”
“That’s because you haven’t eaten in four days.”
The cereal crunched in her mouth. She emptied the bowl and instantly felt sick.
“More?” Grandma’s eyes twinkled.
“I’d better not. It’s trying to come back up.”
“Drink some tea, it will help.”
She sipped the hot, fragrant brew. “What happened to the device?”
“Jeremiah and the rest dragged it out into the Broken, chainsawing whatever came out of it. The damn thing stopped right away past the boundary. They poured concrete on it, drove it to the coast, and dumped it off into the ocean. I saw it with my own eyes. Your blueblood wouldn’t shut up until I went with them. Would you stop staring out the window? He will be back soon enough.”
Rose looked into her tea.
“Where does this leave the two of you?” Grandma asked softly.
“I’m not sure,” Rose said.
“He’s been making plans to leave for the Weird as soon as he can. He’s determined to take you with him.”
“Do you think I should go?”
A troubled expression flickered over Grandma’s face. “This is one of those times age’s wisdom meets youth’s passion. Do you know what usually happens?”
Rose sighed. “I’m about to find out?”
“Wisdom dashes passion’s hopes and you stop speaking to your grandmother.”
Grandma Éléonore clenched her hands. “You know I love you, Rose. I have to tell you this, even if you shall hate me for it. I was not lucky in love. I loved madly. Passionately. Mine was the kind of love that burned so brightly, it made me blind. When the fire finally dimmed enough for me to see clearly, I found out that what I wanted most of all was a man I could depend on. A man who would be by my side, come hell or high water. And that was the only thing Cletus denied me. He loved me. He yearned for me. He set our bed on fire. But when I needed him, I’d turn around and he’d be gone, chasing off after some swamp light. So when I say this, you must take into account that I speak from a lifetime of bitter disappointment.”
Rose blinked.
“Your Declan, he’s a dream. Courageous, assertive, strong, kind. Let’s not forget rich and of noble blood.”
“Also arrogant, condescending, high-handed, and snooty.” Rose smiled.
“Shush. You wanted my opinion, now you’re getting it. Declan is everything a woman could want. And he looks . . .” Grandma sighed in resignation. “You know the way he looks. I’m over a century old, and my heart hammers faster when he walks by. You must ask yourself, what would a man like this want with a woman like you?”
“I think he wants to marry me. I made it plain that being his girl toy was out of the question.”
“You asked for my honesty.” Éléonore twisted her hands again. “You’re my granddaughter, Rose. There is no girl brighter or prettier. You deserve all the best in the world, and if it was in my power, I’d give it to you. But you and Declan aren’t on the same footing. I think you love him. And I think he loves you very much. Right now. But does he love you deeply enough to spend a lifetime with you? So much has happened. Both of you got caught up in this life-and-death excitement. But eventually he has to go home, where he’s a noble and you are what? Even if he thinks he’ll marry you right now, what will happen when he returns to his life and his friends and family see you? They’re nobles, Rose. They’re born into the life of privilege, and they don’t know what it’s like to scrape and scrounge for change so you can buy bread for the kids. He might understand it now, but what about his parents? What if he’s determined enough to marry you against all odds, and they shun him for it? It could make him a bitter, hard man. He might always blame you for it. He won’t ever let you forget that he threw away everything for you.”
Rose looked into her cup.
“If you go with him, you must go knowing that you might end up a rich man’s mistress or that you could cost him everything,” Grandma said. “I don’t think that’s what you want. I think you love him too much. I’m afraid he’ll break your heart. There, I said it. Think about it, Rose. Think long and hard before you let him shatter you to pieces.”
ROSE sat on the porch. She supposed she should have stood, but she felt queasy. Declan waited on the grass before her. She was aware of Grandmother behind her and the kids perched on the rail to the left.
It had taken her three days to finally recover to the point that she could travel. Three days of Declan by her side showing her how it could be. This was going to be a very difficult conversation.
“So the third challenge,” she said.
Declan smiled, and her heart jumped. “You could give me something easy. Ask me to pick you some flowers.”
“I can’t do that.”
The smile slid off his face. “Very well.”
Rose took a deep breath. “I want you to trust me.”
She was hot and cold at the same time. Anxiety prickled her skin, as if she were a kid who had just broken some prized trinket and expected her parents to yell at her.
