UnBounded [Book 4]

I'm Not An Open Book

Exam stress is suddenly getting to me so have a chapter :)

Chapter Quote:
"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds."
~Mistral's Kiss, Laurell K. Hamilton
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Chapter 4: I'm Not An Open Book

Luke

The air crackled with energy to the point where Luke felt that at any moment a lightning bolt was going to strike him down. Of course, then he remembered the joke he'd made earlier about being tied up and wondered if Zeus was getting ready to strike him down for that. Just as a precaution, Luke slipped Bryn's hand into his. Instantly the air calmed which meant either Bryn had been causing it or her dad knew striking Luke down with a lightning bolt would be relatively ineffective since he was holding onto Zeus's lightning-proof daughter. Either way, Luke felt safer.

When the two of them arrived at the infirmary, only Bradley and Brady were there, with the latter groaning on a hospital bed with a swollen face. Bryn asked, "How's he doing?"

"Dazed," Bradley answered. "Chiron determined he had a moderate concussion but with ambrosia and nectar, it should be gone by tomorrow as should most of the swelling."

"Where's Derek?" Luke queried.

"Chiron thought it best we keep him separated from Brady since he tried to kill him. Last I heard he was in the Hades cabin with Silena and Hallie."

"I'll go see him," Bryn said.

"You need to do something about that gash on your arm before you go anywhere."

Bryn glanced down at her arm. "It doesn't hurt."

"How in Hades' name does that not hurt? That's a least three inches long and a few centimeters deep!" he argued.

His sister dismissed his worry with a wave of her hand. "It's nothing. I've been through worse."

Bradley turned to Luke, silently demanding an answer to his sister's apparent obliviousness to the seriousness of her wound.

"Hey Cat Woman, you might not feel pain but your brother's right. It might have damaged some muscle and you really probably shouldn't be losing that much blood. I mean I'm no doctor but you've lost at least quart or a pint, most of which is a trail in the woods," Luke remarked. With a sigh, Bryn muttered she'd go get a bandage to put on. Bradley mouthed a thank you to the Jackson boy which he returned with a nod. Bryn tried putting on the bandage herself but gave up after five minutes and had Luke do it. She took a swig of some nectar and ate a square of ambrosia.

"I'll come check on you two later. I'm going to go see Derek. Luke, do you want to come?" Bryn questioned.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to Luke. Can he catch up with you?" Bradley requested.

"Uh, sure. Just don't kill him. I'll see you later." She gave Luke a peck on the cheek before leaving. Once she was gone, he turned to her brother, awkwardly waiting for him to say something.

"You two doing better?" Bradley questioned, leaning back in his chair.

"They better be," Brady mumbled. "I have enough of a headache from this concussion. I don't need one from sensing Bryn's distressed emotions."

"Go back to sleep. Or else you're not going to heal," Bradley stated. It looked like his twin made a face at him but the swelling made it hard to tell.

"We're better, thank the gods."

"How is she doing?"

"From what I know and from what I can tell, she's handling all this better than me. Silena appears to be doing just as good as Bryn. It seems as if Derek and I are the ones not handling this well."