Unleashed (The Gate Chronicles Book 3)

Chapter 13: Long Lost Art

Donnovan bit his lip. This wasn’t making any sense. He decided that he needed to get some help. Andrew wouldn’t appreciate that Donnovan was implying that Ryder may have been the one to harm her sister, but he would still try to uncover the truth.

He keyed a code into his holograph and typed out a brief message.

Need to talk.

-D.

Then he hit the send button and leaned back in his chair. He rubbed his eyes. This was taking its toll, and he needed to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. Fortunately, he didn’t have any meetings today, so he had time to talk it out with Andrew.

***

Andrew smiled when he walked into Donnovan’s office and found him slumped over in his chair, sleeping. The poor boy didn’t sleep like he needed to, and he refused the doctor’s sleeping pills. Said they made it ten times worse because he actually had to live through the nightmares once he fell asleep. Andrew guessed that once he fell asleep, he wouldn’t wake back up until the drugs wore off in the morning. That was a problem for Donnovan.

When Donnovan was still too young to be in the dorms for agents, Andrew and Allayra had taken him under their wing and let him and his younger brother stay with them. There were many nights where Donnovan would either disappear to wander around outside or around the Base or wake up shouting.

Ryder had often woken and calmed him. Andrew remembered many nights spent listening to his daughter calm a terrified, weeping boy. He remembered listening to his daughter tell Donnovan that it was going to be all right. That the dreams were just dreams. He always quieted after listening to her for a few moments. Most mornings, Andrew got up to find that his daughter had fallen asleep next to Donnovan or on the floor beside his mattress, exhausted from calming him down at three in the morning.

Donnovan had always offset those sleepless nights by sleeping during lunch period or through classes. He always managed to do well in class, however, so Andrew kept quiet and left him alone about it. Now, his duties had increased, and he still wasn’t getting enough sleep. It wasn’t as though he could sleep through meetings, so Donnovan often appeared out of it when others weren’t paying attention. With the added stress of the situation with Ryder, it was little wonder that Donnovan had fallen asleep.

“Donnovan?” Andrew murmured the boy’s name and gave him a gentle shake.

Donnovan started out of sleep and pushed Andrew away. He rubbed his eyes blearily. “What? I’m awake. Just resting my eyes…”

Andrew laughed. “You were out, Donnovan.”

Donnovan nodded, blushing. “Guess I didn’t sleep last night.”

“You never do.” Andrew sighed and sat down in the chair opposite Donnovan. “You should take the medications the doctors want to prescribe.”

“They just make my night worse. At least when I sleep at night, I wake up in the middle. Give me those infernal pills, and I sleep right through it. So much worse.” Donnovan mumbled with a yawn.

“I’m assuming you needed to talk about the situation with my daughter…” Andrew leaned forward.

Donnovan nodded. “I know you won’t like what I’ve come up with, but it’s got to be said.”

Andrew grimaced. “Fire away. Better to know what you think we’re dealing with.”

“I think she’s the one who put Cass into the magic-induced coma. From Ansgar’s reports, her life-force is slowly draining. They can’t stop it, but they’re trying to slow it down by keeping her system running and sustained. Whatever happened, Cassie’s soul is literally being sucked right out of her. Once it’s completely sucked out, she’ll die.” Donnovan rubbed his temples.