Atlantis Unmasked by Alyssa Day Page B

It was a sign of his weakness and a flaw in his character that he envied even one moment of it.
    Keely looked up at exactly that moment and caught sight of him. “Oh, Alexios,” she cried out. “We’re so glad you’re here.”
    Pulling away from Justice, she ran across the room and threw herself into Alexios’s arms, sobbing. “Did Brennan tell you? It’s so awful. Erin is with them, of course, with her gem-singing healing Gift. She’s helping Marie do everything they can.”
    Alexios was so startled by her actions that he almost didn’t comprehend her words. His instinct to comfort, rusty with disuse, finally kicked in, and he awkwardly lifted an arm to pat her back, warily watching Justice. Justice returned his gaze steadily, his lips quirking into a flicker of a smile that quickly vanished.
    â€œThey will be able to heal Riley and the child,” Justice said, not a shadow of doubt in his voice.
    Keely lifted her head from Alexios’s shoulder and took a shuddering breath. She nodded, scrubbing her face with her hands. Alexios quickly dropped his arms to his sides, releasing her.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said, her voice shaking. “Some tough archaeologist I am, right? I’m just so glad you’re all back. Strength in numbers and prayers, you know? Christophe went to help, add his power to Alaric’s or something, and it’s just—it’s just that I’ve gotten to know Riley so well and if . . . if . . . if something happens to her or the baby—”
    Quicker than thought, Justice was beside her, gathering her into his arms. “Hush, mi amara , hush. We will not let any part of our family come to harm. Let us continue to offer our prayers to Poseidon, the gods of the Nereid, and your own Christian god. Surely strength in numbers, as you say, cannot hurt with gods.”
    Alexios stepped away to give them some privacy and crossed the floor toward Denal, who knelt on the floor, his dark head resting against the arm of the chair. As Alexios approached, he realized the youngling was mumbling an ancient Atlantean prayer under his breath. He stopped, not wanting to interrupt, but Denal raised his head, and Alexios got another shock. Denal’s eyes were sunken into his skull, and harsh lines had appeared almost from nowhere on the planes and angles of his face.
    â€œShe can’t die,” Denal cried out, his voice a rusty croak. “She can’t die, and the baby can’t die. I can’t bear it if she dies, Alexios. Not again. Not after she sacrificed her life for mine. I’ve been on my knees for hours praying to Poseidon to let me return the favor. Let him take me and spare her and the baby.”
    Alexios was a little taken aback at the depth of anguish in the warrior’s voice, though on reflection Denal had been smitten with Riley from the first. Had declared himself her champion and protector, and had built up a big case of puppy love, even trying to defend her from Conlan, her chosen mate, over a misunderstanding. But after the vampire attack where he and Brennan had actually died, and Riley had traded her life to Poseidon for theirs . . . well, something in Denal had broken. Some spark of the youth and joy that made them all think of him as an overgrown youngling, though he was man and warrior enough to be part of the Seven, well, that spark had slowly turned to ash and died. Over the course of the past several months, Denal had changed. Become quieter. Less exuberant.
    Less . . . Denal.
    So maybe Alexios shouldn’t have been surprised at the vehemence of Denal’s pain at all.
    Alexios started to speak, to offer some comfort, but Denal lurched up off the floor and grabbed his arms in a death grip, digging with bruising force into his flesh. “Why won’t he take me? Alexios, why won’t he take me?”
    Alexios shook his head, unable to offer false comfort. “They are gods, Denal.