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It was a long debate to get Von out of the bedroom when Wednesday morning finally rolled around. “You need to eat before you go out with Danny. It’s important you have some blood in your system. Come on, babe. It’s been at least two days since you’ve had any blood at all. That can’t be healthy.”
“I’m not hungry.”
I harrumphed, pulling on a hoodie that made my deflated body shapeless, so I didn’t feel so strange in my own skin. “Well, I am. I’m going downstairs to eat now.” Lynna had been bringing our meals up to our room, but I wanted to eat at an actual table this time.
This moved Von off his chair that overlooked the backyard grounds. “I’ll come with you.” He hadn’t showered in at least three days, and the cigar smoke was practically leaking out of his pores, permeating the room and making me a little nauseous. His swollen earlobe was getting fatter for no reason I could tell, making it look unnaturally elongated, despite the antihistamine I’d been giving him regularly. His hair was matted in parts and stiffly stuck up in others, making him look just as unbalanced as he was inside. His white undershirt had stains on the armpits, but he didn’t care. Von was broken.
I’d broken Von.
I held tight to his hand, leading him through the house to the dining room. I sat him at the table, like a doll who couldn’t move without my permission.
Ezra and Graham ate silently, afraid to look at the mess that was Von, in case eye contact might make him retreat back to the bedroom. As discreetly as I could, I banded his fingers around the hilt of his fork, silently reminding him that we were here to eat.
Von took a few bites, not even looking up when Danny entered the room, nodding his condolences to both of us. “Are you ready, mate?” Danny asked as he snuck a piece of bacon off the platter.
“Huh? For what?”
Danny looked to Ezra with his thick eyebrows pushed together. “Didn’t you tell him I’d be over?”
“I did. October Grace, might I see you in the living room with Danny for a moment?”
Von snapped to life when my chair moved back and I stood to leave. “Wait! Where are you going? It’s not safe for you to be running off today.”
I placed my hand atop his head. “Hun, I’m not running off. I’m just going to talk to Ezra in the kitchen. I’ll be back in like, five minutes. I’m not even leaving the mansion”
“Fine, then I’ll go with you.” Von stood, knocking his chair back and causing the guys to hold up their hands with “Hey, hey!” kinds of noises. “What? It’s only a chair. I turned my back for one second, and she was gone the other day. I blinked and my daughter died right before my eyes. I’ll not take chances with October’s safety.”
My hand slid into his, and I refused to look up at the guys, who would only confirm what I already knew. Von had lost several very important marbles from his brain.
Ezra placed his hand on Von’s shoulder and slowly drew him into a hug that started out soft, but tightened gradually. “Son, there’s nothing you could’ve done. You were outnumbered. I’ve already put in a motion for Mulvano to be removed from his interim throne in Lumipad. It takes time for justice to be served.”
“I don’t care about justice. I just want...” Von’s voice caught, and I could tell by the look on Danny’s face that he hadn’t expected Von to burst into tears in Ezra’s arms in the middle of the dining room. Graham was unsurprised, and drank his orange juice as he watched the scene unfold.
“I know, son. Today’s going to be difficult, but I should like to spend a little time with my daughter. October needs a break. Don’t you want her to have a day out, where she doesn’t have to think about the awful incident?”
Von squeezed my hand while Ezra held him. “I don’t want her to go. I know something bad will happen. I’ll never forgive myself if she gets attacked while I’m not there to keep her safe.”
Ezra held tight to Von. “Do you trust me with your treasure?”
Von hesitated, clinging to my hand in fear. I could feel his indecision, knowing that he was too lost for concepts as grand as trust. He couldn’t find the words, so he stuck with one stiff nod into Ezra’s shoulder, followed by more tears that made Danny back away with wide and wary eyes.
I squeezed Von’s hand before releasing it. “I’m going to go upstairs and change into something that screams ‘museum’. I promise I’ll be right back.”
“No! I’ll come with you.”
“I’ll only be five minutes, Von. Honest. I’ll be right back down.”
“No, you could trip on the stairs! You could hit your head on the wall and die easy as anything. Ezra, let go, mate!”
I moved closer so Von didn’t fight Ezra. “Hey, I promise I’ll be super careful.” I kissed his cheek and smoothed his greasy hair from his forehead. “You worry about me too much, Mister. I’m not in any danger in the mansion.”
“I don’t like it. I know the second you’re out of my sight, something dreadful’s going to happen. I feel it in my gut.”
Danny held up his hand. “I’ll take her. You get some air. Ezra, Graham, why don’t you take my big brother for a walk outside. Get him some oxygen that doesn’t stink of cigars.”
“My big brother” was the kind of talk Danny usually avoided. It was sweet and showed affection. I wasn’t sure why Danny was being good to Von, but I appreciated the help.
“Superb idea, Danny.” Ezra tightened his arm around Von and led him toward the back door. Graham closed the divide to cut Von off from me, casting me a grave nod that told me he would handle his brother.
I knew it was too easy. Von broke away, shoving Ezra and knocking Graham out of the way. Danny shouted for Von to be careful when my fiancé crashed into me, holding too tight. He held me like I was his life raft, and he was afraid of drowning. His chest heaved unevenly. “That was a close one. I saw you tripping and slicing your head open on the banister. No more stairs! I’ll bring your clothes down to you.”
I winced at how tightly he gripped me. “Easy, Von. I’m not totally bulletproof yet. Gentle hugs, babe. My body’s still healing.”
Graham raised his hand. “I’ll get her clothes for you, mate.”
Von cast a sideways glance to his brother. “Cheers, Graham.”
I gently extracted myself from Von’s manic hold. “Okay. I’m totally safe now. I won’t go up any stairs while you’re out on your walk.”
“What? Not a chance. I’m not stepping a toe away from you. That was too close a call.”
Ezra was gentle but firm as he put his arm around Von’s shoulder. “Come,” he insisted. “Just a short walk. Ten minutes, Von. You need some fresh air.” There were a few more false starts, but eventually the two made it out.
Graham leveled his gaze at me. “You can get your own clothes without cracking your head open, yeah?”
“Of course. Go with Ezra and keep an eye on him. I don’t want him to lose his temper and take a swing at my dad. Thanks, Graham.” The second the door closed behind Graham, I reached out for the wall and used it to hold myself upright. My brave and calm smile ran clean off my face, but I still tried to keep it together for the viewers. “I’ll just be a few minutes. Thanks for taking him out today, Danny.”
Danny covered his mouth with the back of his hand, still catching up to the drama that had gone on without him. “I had no idea it was this bad. I would’ve come sooner.”
“It’s fine. Or it’ll be fine. I know you’ve got Mariang to look after. I wouldn’t assume you’d stick around to put my fiancé back together. You don’t owe me that.” I felt my way along the wall toward the stairs, moving one foot in front of the other, though they both felt like lead.
“You’re an Omen. If you can’t even get out of the house to do your job, all of Terraway suffers. I’m here now, and Prince Langgam will come in a week if things don’t improve.”
I made my way up the stairs, not expecting Danny to harrumph from behind me. “This is exhausting just watching you.”
“Dude, I just gave birth. I’m moving a little slower than usual, so chill.”
Danny was less antagonistic when he reopened his mouth. “You’re right. Let me help you. Come on.” His arm went around my back, and he offered his hand for me to grip so I could lean on his strength.
Danny was plenty strong. I used to be strong, but lately I just plain wasn’t.