Écarté (Lost Birds Book 4)

Part 36 Deal.

            The faintest scent of sandalwood mixed with blood and antiseptic was the first thing I registered when consciousness began to fade back in.

"Sab?' I groaned recognizing the scent.

Everything hurt but I forced my eyes open needing to see that he was ok.

Sab shifted forward in his chair and reached out to me. Hovering but not touching the sling that encompassed my arm.

"Be still princessa." He warned.

He had several white strips pressed along a cut on his forehead. Blood was still stuck along his hair line but he tried to appear calm. There was something distant about him that pulled me the rest of the way from my groggy awakening. There was something missing. Sab was alone.

I jerked to a sitting position. Ignoring the way my body ached in protest my eyes shot around the room wildly searching. Where were they? Where were the others?

"Aydan?! Tao?!"" I demanded turning all of my focus and fear to Sab.

"Surgery." Sab soothed.

Surgery. His words filtered through me slowly. At first they were as soothing as he'd meant for them to be. But no. The more I thought about it the more fearful I became. Surgery was awful and it in no way guaranteed that someone was going to be alright.

"Sab..." I squeaked. I wanted to ask if he knew anything more. If there was something we could do, what had happened, and why I couldn't remember anything after shooting Stephan. None of my questions came out. Instead my voice cracked and a rush of tears flooded.

"Shh." Sab soothed. He shifted up to where he was sitting on the edge of my bed and wrapped me in his arms.

"They are both to stubborn to die princessa. It's not going to happen." He promised against my hair. Still I couldn't seem to hold back my tears. The flood gates had been opened and there was no closing them now.

The sound of the door creaking open was half a push in the right direction. I managed to stifle some of my horrible sobs into much softer tears.

"Thank you, mysh." Sab said to whoever had entered. I recognized the nickname for Aydan's sister. Knowing there was someone else here that was just as hurt and scared as me helped me to pull the last few broken strands of sanity back from my grief. She didn't need this. She needed to be surrounded by confidence and strength not some weeping girl.

I sniffled and pulled away from Sab to wipe my tears. I hoped that when I turned to her I didn't look like the blubbering mess I was.

Amanda was exactly what I had pictured she would be. She had the same dark black hair and striking green eyes that Aydan had. The edge of her jaw was bruised to a dark purple and underneath her eyes was purpled as well but not in the same bruising manor. She looking exhausted, pale, and afraid but not crying. That had to be a good sign. She had to be confident that her brother was going to pull through if she wasn't freaking out like I was.

"Sab..." Amanda said. Her voice shook just slightly and Sab's head whipped around to look at her.

"The police-" She started but before she could finish three uniformed officers came into the room.

"Sabbatian Petrov?" One of the officer asked.

Sab sighed, squeezed my good hand, stood, and nodded.

"You're under arrest for the murder of Stephan Langston. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law..." One of the officers began reciting as the other two stepped forward and placed Sab into handcuffs.

"No..." I said forcing my legs over the edge of the bed.

They ignored me and continued speaking as they lead Sab from the room.

"No... No... No..." My legs trembled as I stood and tried to follow after them.

Amanda stepped into my path and shook her head at me.

"Don't." She warned. "He did this on purpose. I don't know what they're planning but getting yourself arrested isn't going to help them."

She was right.

I stopped and began wracking my brain for what to do. I needed to call the others. I needed Theo and Cameron. One of them would know what to do.

"I need a phone." I said.

Amanda pointed to the bedside table where Sab had left his phone. It was already open to Theo's number when I picked it up.

I pressed call and waited.

And waited.

It went to voice mail.

I tried again and again and again. Each time it went to voicemail.

My hands were shaking as I searched through the contacts hoping to find another number, someone that could help. I didn't recognize any of the phone numbers. There was no one else I could call.

I dropped the phone and sank down on the floor. The cold tiles barely registered through my surging panic.

The door opened again and a pair of black flat appeared in my line of sight before their owner crouched down to look at me. I stared up at Chloe in surprise and just a touch of relief.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Aydan and Tao are in surgery. Sab just got arrested and I can't get a hold of Cameron or Theo." I croaked.

"I know where everyone is. Tao's already been moved to recover. He's doing well. They are on the last bullet for Aydan, the one in his leg so he's doing well also. Cameron and Theo are on their way here but we can not wait for them. We need to move you now." She said. "So before we go I need to know... Are you alright?"

"Go?" I repeated.

"Go where?" I asked. "I'm not leaving without them. I'm not going anywhere until I know they're ok."

"I understand but you staying here puts them in even more danger. Your parents are not in custody and our sources say they are looking for you. The guys are using the last of their favors to make sure that your parents do not get a hold of you and I promise you if we do not leave soon they will." Chloe said carefully.

"But Sab... Aydan..." I said.

"Tori... I'm going to be honest with you here, I used all of my teams favors to get the right surgeons in here for them and they used all of theirs to make sure you get out safe. We've got nothing left. Aydan will do his best to get Sab a lawyer but until then we have no more strings to pull and nothing to bargain with. Please just let me help you." She said.

"No." I said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere until I know they're alright. There has to be something I can do. We need favors? How do I get those?"

"You join." Amanda answered when Chloe wouldn't.

"What?" I asked looking at her.

"Has the academy given you an offer yet? Asked you to join?" Amanda asked.

I nodded.

"So do it. You are your own bargaining chip. You can make them help the guys." She pointed out.

"Can I do that?" I asked looking at Chloe.

She shifted uncomfortably but nodded.

"But joining has to be more than just favors and money. You have to be sure. No matter what we tell them they aren't going to accept your entry without promise of you trying another team. You would have to leave them." She said.

"But they would be safe and they would have their own favors left and I could give them mine." I said.

Chloe pressed her lips together as if she didn't like my conclusion but forced herself to nod.

"Fine. Deal. I'm there's. I'll do whatever they want as long as they help the others with everything I've destroyed." I said.