Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 6.3 I Could Use A Little Indifference

The next morning, all eyes were on Alex when she stirred. She blinked and started in alarm at the sight of all of them around her. Rile was quick to calm her, holding her and stroking her hair and back. Then the stress leaked out of her expression and posture and she oriented.

"Why is my head pounding and my throat a desert?" she asked.

"Drink this, please." Cale handed her a full mug

The mug was thick and warm in her hand with a thick handle. A crimson liquid hides in it with a pungent medicinal odor to it, like herbs and alcohol.

She complied. It was musky and sweet with an earthy aftertaste. Then she asked, "What happened?"

"What do you recall?" Cale countered.

"Oh no. That's my trick question when something terrible has happened." She searched their faces. "Judging by how angry Gabe looks and how angry and guilty Rile looks, it had to be awful."

"What do you recall?" Cale repeated his question gently.

Alex searched her memory. "Honestly, nothing bad. Rile was there." She twined fingers with him. "A sense of warmth and that everything was right with the world. Other than a headache and dry throat, I feel fine. There's nothing broken or bleeding or even bruised, so it couldn't be that bad, could it?"

No one answered.

"Y'all are creeping me out. Let me eat breakfast in blissful ignorance and then we can talk," Alex said.

Halfway through breakfast, Alex grew pale. "Did it suddenly get hot? Oh no!" She looked at her hands sputtering white sparks.

"Alex, you were drugged, like we were by Josef Hermann. You're rebounding with energy overproduction," Cale said.

"I gotta leave," Alex gasped.

"It's not safe to leave. Into the tent," Cale ordered in his best healer tone.

Alex stumbled into the tent. A brilliant light flashed from every opening of the tent, illuminating every tiny rip and pinhole. Rile dashed in as it faded, Cale and Gabe followed. Alex sat on the ground, holding her head.

"I feel better now. I guess I should hear what happened." She didn't sound enthusiastic.

Rile pointed at his middle brother. "You're the official bearer of bad news, Cale."

He held his hands palm up, eyes wide. "When did that happen?"

"You volunteered for it," Rile replied. "Go on." He shoved his brother a little.

***

By the end of the story, Alex stood at the edge of the tent, back to them. "So it's official here now." She didn't turn around.

The brothers exchanged looks. "We don't understand."

"Enough here have called me whore and now it's official." Alex's resistance to what Morgan, The Adversary, more than a few on this world, and her heart, called her, was ebbing fast.

"Alex! Jeza was jealous," Rile protested.

Alex shrugged. "It could have been worse. It wasn't as bad as what Morgan does to me."

"Did." Gabe corrected. "You're wrong. Drake hurt you on a different level than the physical."

"And never will again." Rile picked up his sword. "This one I can take care of easily."

"No!" Alex whirled and the brothers jumped back automatically. "If I can't kill Morgan for what he's done, then you certainly can't call out Drake for a lesser crime."