Chapter 441: The Quiet Before the Answer

"Let’s hope we don’t," Marta said to him, then turned down the corridor and disappeared with the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly where she was needed.

Lysander remained where he was for a moment longer.

The weight inside his chest loosened just slightly.

He turned toward the entrance of the facility. The moment he reached it, he heard low voices and footsteps.

The space was warm, and the torches on the wall illuminated the room. There was also a lit lantern on the desk.

Orion stood near a bed, arms folded tightly across his chest, posture coiled and restless. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The moment he saw Lysander, he straightened.

"How is she?"

Lysander barely had time to open his mouth in greeting before the question fell out of him.

"She’s stable," he said gently. "If anything, she’s simply exhausted."

"Really?" Orion asked him.

"Yes. She pushed herself far past what her body could handle," Lysander continued. "And she only recovered not too long ago. Doing this again so soon..." He shook his head.

Orion nodded once.

"There was a... situation."

"There always is," Lysander murmured. "But you of all people should know that Sophia can’t keep pushing herself past her limits. You should make that known to her."

Orion nodded. "I plan to, but... have you met Sophia? You speak like it’s so easy. She’d put herself in harm’s way if it meant someone else survives."

Lysander sighed. He couldn’t argue with that. Brynhild—and even Orion—were similar, but the difference was that their bodies could withstand it. Sophia’s body couldn’t. Her body was still adapting.

"But are you telling me that she’s only exhausted? That’s why she collapsed?" Orion asked him.

"I’m very certain she collapsed due to exhaustion, but there is also something else. She ingested Trihydra venom," Lysander told him.

Orion’s eyes sharpened instantly. He was trying to think of how that had happened. Could it have been when they were fighting the Trihydras?

"It was a small amount," Lysander said quickly. "Very small. But I treated it already. When she wakes, she’ll likely throw up, but that’s the body’s way of removing any that remains in her."

Orion’s jaw tightened.

"When will she wake?"

"Soon," Lysander said. "Maybe in a day or so."

Orion exhaled slowly through his nose.

Only then did Lysander notice the movement at the far side of the ward.

Two shapes lay stretched across the other vacant beds there.

Lysander frowned when he noticed it was Sam and Helios. They had gone with Ronan to the heart of Nirvana, and now they were back?

Sam sat slumped against the bed frame, forearms resting on her knees, her breathing still heavy and uneven. Strands of hair were plastered to her temples with sweat.

Helios lay flat on a bed too, one arm thrown across his eyes as his chest rose and fell rapidly.

"Sam," Lysander said in greeting.

She waved at him.

"Were you guys the ones who brought in the other patient?" he asked them.

Sam nodded and lifted her head. Her eyes were bright with exhaustion.

"Are you injured?" he asked her.

He could only imagine how Tobias would react if Sam was injured—especially if it was a serious case. He was willing to risk his sleep to ensure she was okay.

"No. It’s just small scrapes. I’m okay," she told him.

"I’m not," Jeffrey said from where he was lying on a bed.

He was no longer breathing heavily and had been able to drink water.

Lysander gave him a look. "I didn’t ask you."

"You should have," Jeffrey muttered. "Have you gone on a trip with Noctis? It was like he was flying through the night, and I was trying so hard to keep up with him. I’m sure my lungs are injured from how stressful that was."

Orion just gave Jeffrey an unimpressed look.

"If you were injured, then the nurses would have attended to you already—especially if it’s something minor. From the way you speak, I suspect it is," Lysander told him.

Jeffrey laughed, then stretched his limbs and yawned.

"I’m not staying here with you guys," he said, flipping Lysander off. "I’d rather just go home to my husband."

Jeffrey wondered why Eldric hadn’t shown up yet. He was sure Eldric already knew he was in the pack, but he hadn’t shown up at all. He stood up. Maybe something was wrong with Eldric.

Maybe he was sick again. Eldric had the tendency to lock himself up in the house even when he was sick. He’d rather be in the company of books than come to the medical facility.

Jeffrey smiled at that. For someone who always forced him to go to the facility even when it was just a simple cough, Eldric hated being in the facility himself.

He also wondered what Eldric was up to. What research he was currently swamped with. Any time Jeffrey left the pack, Eldric buried himself in books and research to help with his boredom.

Jeffrey had just stood up from the bed when the door to the medical facility opened and Caspian and Daniel walked in.

They took in the others who were there, but it didn’t take long for their gaze to fix on Orion.

"Orion," Daniel said as he closed the distance between them. He placed his hand on Orion. "Boy, you scared me and Caspian. You can’t just run out like that."

"There was a situation, and I couldn’t just sit back," Orion explained.

"I know that, but please, next time, at least give us a heads up," Caspian said to him.

"I’ll try next time," Orion told them.

Lysander, who was focused on Jeffrey, spoke up. "Did you notice anything about your husband before you left to go to the heart of Nirvana?" he asked Jeffrey.

Jeffrey frowned. "Not really. Is something the matter?" he asked.

Caspian and Daniel exchanged a look, then turned to Jeffrey.

"About your husband..." Caspian began.