Unleashed (The Gate Chronicles Book 3)

Chapter 27: An Ending

Ryder held Kane’s hand as his breathing became harsher. The doctors said he had less than hour left. The poison had already shut down most of his vital organs, and his lungs were collapsing on themselves.

His parents sat beside him, and his mother was running her fingers through his hair as tears fell down her cheeks in silence. Neither of his parents said anything. He wouldn’t have heard them if they had.

***

He was drifting, unable to feel the pain despite knowing that he was in a lot of it. Draco?

Yes?

We’re going to die, aren’t we… It wasn’t really a question. He knew the answer. He couldn’t pull in a full breath anymore, and everything felt heavy. His thoughts were becoming more and more sluggish as the seconds ticked by.

You scared? He asked Draco.

Nah… You?

Not sure, really… I didn’t think that this day would come so soon, but now that it has, it’s a lot less frightening than I thought it would be. I wonder what’s on the other side. Kane mused.

Draco huffed. Don’t know… But I guess we’ll find out. I’d say we’ve got minutes before your body gives out and we die.

Comforting of you to say that… Kane sighed. I might not be scared, but I don’t want to die. Hey, how come I can’t feel anything?

Because you’re blocking out the pain. It’s quite intense, and your whole body is in shut down mode because of the poison.

You know, you’d think that with all of the technology and magic they have, they’d be able to find an antidote for this.

It’s from another dimension that hasn’t been bridged. They don’t have enough information to analyze the poison, and it’s spread too quickly. Draco hummed. Unfortunately for us. Our parents are quite distraught.

I imagine so. Kane sighed mentally. I’m going to miss them…

It’s time. Draco whispered.

His dragon’s looming form rose before him, and Kane walked forward to climb onto his back. They lifted off the ground of his mind, and were gone.

***

The heart monitor started to emit frantic beeping noises and then fell flat. Kane’s breathing stopped, and his mother clutched his hand in hers as she finally lost it. Ryder turned away and fled, unable to face their grief and her own.

Donnovan followed her out, knowing she needed his support, and Andrew bowed his head, feeling drained.

Even with all of the knowledge they had about poisons combined with healing magic, they were unable to save Kane. He was gone forever, and the grieving family members and friends could hardly believe it.

Ryder ran for Donnovan’s room, knowing that hers wouldn’t be private. Well, that and because she knew Donnovan was following her. She didn’t want to fall apart in front of all the other agents in the dorm that Donnovan had assigned her to here.

Running into the room, she slammed the door and collapsed on his bed, wrapping her arms around herself as she fought back the tears.

The door opened, and as she had expected, Donnovan walked in. His eyes held so much pain that she almost drowned in it when it mingled with hers. Her hold on her tears faltered and crashed. Donnovan went to her and pulled her into his arms. Together, they mourned for their friend. It needed to come out for both of them, Donnovan knew.