Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 6

Taking Ryleigh to the infirmary was little more than a formality. There was nothing Ridge could do for her. Jade knew this, and she guessed Austin did too, but he still looked at Ridge as though he expected him to perform a miracle.

"What happened?" Ridge asked, directing Austin to put Ryleigh down on one of the beds. "How long has she been unconscious?"

"Probably close to two hours," Jade said. She glanced around her. She hadn't been in the infirmary yet. It was much bigger than she thought it'd be – a long, rectangular room with beds placed evenly against the walls. The Shadow Walkers didn't have an infirmary, and back when they did, it was nothing like this one.

"What? And no one thought to look for her?"

Austin took one of Ryleigh's hands. Jade fought the urge to tell him Ryleigh was too far gone for the mate bond to have any effect. She figured he wasn't holding her hand for her sake, but for his own. It was odd for her to see a man touch Ryleigh with affection. She half expected Ryleigh to wake up from her coma to tell Austin to bug off. She didn't, and Jade reminded herself that with Austin, she might not have told him off anyway. How the mighty had fallen.

"You know her," Jade said to Ridge. "She could've linked me and she didn't. She's too stubborn to ask for help. No one thought to look for her, because no one here knows her well enough to understand exactly how self-destructive she is. Except for me."

"You thought she was still with me," Austin said, not taking his gaze off Ryleigh. He stared at her with such urgency that for a second, Jade's eyes flitted to Ryleigh, just in case Austin's sheer conviction managed to wake her up. It didn't.

Ridge moved to the bed, checking Ryleigh's pulse. Ryleigh had shown Jade her memories, and Ridge featured in a lot of them. She liked the man. Jade saw why. Ridge's thoughts were erratic, compassionate, unconventional. He was an odd creature, and Ryleigh always gravitated towards the outcasts.

"Talking about fault isn't going to get us anywhere," Jade said. "The question at hand is what we do now, even though I've already told you what our only option is."

"She can't go home. I'd never see her again."

It was a bit of a self-centred response, but Jade forgave him for it. The circumstance allowed it, and she didn't think he really knew what he was saying. "If she dies, you'll never see her again either. Well, not until you die too, at least."

The door creaked open, admitting Ellis and Julie.

"How bad is it?" Julie asked. Jade followed her gaze to the pale, faded woman lying on the infirmary bed. A single puff of air and she'd disintegrate into dust.

"She's dying," Jade said. "I was just trying to get Austin to understand that the only thing that can save her now is taking her home. We have a healer that can save her."

"Even healers can't deal with silver," Ridge said.

Jade swallowed a sigh. "I understand you guys aren't familiar with magic, and I understand you're still trying to wrap your minds about us existing, but you really need to start taking my word for it. Paige can absorb silver and get rid of it. She's the only one who can, and therefore she's the only one who can save Ryleigh. I need to take her home."

"If you do, will your father let her return?" Ellis asked.

"No." Jade was standing near the foot of Ryleigh's bed. She hated seeing her that way. Unlike the other people in the room, she was used to seeing Ryleigh strong and healthy. Sure, she'd seen Ryleigh tiptoe the border between life and death several times, but Paige had always been there to save her.