Magics: Escape (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty

Kai woke sitting up, though he wasn't sure why until he realized that someone was holding him tightly to their chest. His face was buried in their shoulder, while their arms were wrapped tightly around him protectively. Kai was sitting on his knees, and so was the person hugging him, but somehow he fit perfectly into their arms. 

They were too small to be Chase. That meant that it was Falte. 

"So," a voice asked, and Kai realized that it was Amy. "Is he... alright now?" 

What happened? Kai wondered. Am I still dreaming? Is Dad going to die too? But even as he thought that, Falte continued to hug him, either ignoring Amy or not hearing her question. He began rubbing Kai's back reassuringly, and Kai realized that he must have been hugging him for a while.

"Well, he's awake," another voice said, and this time it was Linda. Relief flooded through Kai like a tsunami, and he let out a shaky sigh. She sounded exhausted, and she spoke quietly, like even her own voice was loud.

"Okay," Chase's impatient yet worried voice said. "Kai, or Linda, tell us what the HECK was happening. Was it the same dream from before, Linda? If it was, seriously, what is going on with him?" He sounded a little angry, but Kai knew he was worried for him.

"Sit down," Rachel's voice said, and Kai wondered for a moment who she was talking to. "Linda, sit down. Drink the water I gave you." She was speaking quietly as well, like she was afraid to break the tense silence; but she still had to speak to her sister.

"Fine," Linda relented, sighing through her nose. 

"Someone explain," Chase said, raising his voice a little. "Please," he then said in a quieter tone, as if someone had given him the "shut-up" look. 

Falte's arms slid down Kai's back, and he realized that his father was pulling away. Kai leaned back as well, fighting back the trembling in his shoulders. Falte met Kai's eyes with a gentle look and reached up, carefully lifting Kai's chin.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft and careful. 

"I..." Kai tried, but his voice trailed away. He was physically fine, he knew that, but what he had seen was terrible. What he had done. He knew that he hadn't really done that, but it had felt so real. Especially the last part of the nightmare. What had that meant? Why would he dream something like that? Chase was alright, right?

Falte didn't press, simply waited for him to reply.

"I... I think so," Kai finally managed. He swallowed and took a deep breath, rubbing his arms. He glanced away from his father's brown eyes, looking over at the space where his friends had apparently slept.

Chase was the closest to the couch, sitting crisscross on his sleeping bag and staring expectantly with a worried face up at Kai and Falte. Falte's empty sleeping bag came next, and then Gabriel's, which was also empty. Kai looked to his right and found Linda sitting against the wall with a glass of water in her hand, looking tired and overworked. Gabriel was sitting on her right, watching Kai with a confused frown. Rachel was sitting on her left, touching her sister's hand gently. Amy was standing in the doorway, leaning on the post with her arms crossed and a confused and worried expression on her face. Abby was sitting on the floor by the hallway doorway, looking too nervous and confused and worried to actually say anything as she twisted her hands together.

"Care to explain?" Chase asked in an impatient tone.

Falte cast a frown - yes, an actual angry frown - at Chase, which shut him up immediately. 

"Take a few deep breaths," Falte instructed, turning back to Kai with the same gentle look as before. "Hyperventilating isn't going to help you."