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“We’ll meet you there,” his mother said firmly. “Your father’s already looking up flights.”
Rylan hesitated. “Ma, it might be a while before they let anyone see her. Maybe you should wait until?—”
“Don’t you dare tell me to wait, Rylan Montgomery Cross,” his mother cut him off, her voice sharp. “That’s my baby girl. I’m coming.”
He smiled despite himself. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you soon, then.”
As soon as he hung up, Rylan grabbed his keys and jacket. He paused at the door, his hand on the knob, as the memory of Izzy’s breath against his lips flashed through his mind. He pushed the thought away.
There would be time to sort through that weird tangle of emotions later.
Right now, his sister needed him.
He walked out of the building. The sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink. Itfelt fitting somehow, like the world was celebrating Rhiannon’s return along with him.
As he strode down the walkway toward the parking lot, he nearly collided with Zak coming around the corner of the building.
“Whoa, where’s the fire?”
Rylan gripped his friend’s shoulder. “They found her, Zak. Rhiannon’s alive.”
Zak’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, that’s incredible! Where was she?”
“Trapped in a gift shop at a rest stop,” Rylan explained quickly, already moving past Zak towards the exit. “I’m heading to the hospital now. Can you hold down the fort here?”
“Of course, man. Go, go!” Zak waved him on. “And when you get there—” His phone signaled with a text, and he looked at it.
Something in his expression had Rylan pausing. ”What?”
“Jesus,” Zak breathed and held out his phone so Rylan could read the text from Ash. “It’s Pierce. They found him, too. He was one of the survivors trapped with Rhiannon.”
chapter
nineteen
Rhiannon saton the edge of the hospital bed, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling her nose as she stared at Michael’s small form. His face was flushed with fever, but his breathing had finally stabilized. Relief surged through her as she brushed a damp lock of hair from his now-clean forehead.
“You’re gonna be okay, buddy,” she whispered.
It felt surreal to be here, in the hospital, after everything they’d been through. The chaos and tension of the past days were still a thick knot in her chest, and though she was exhausted, her mind refused to settle.
Michael stirred slightly, his hand twitching in his sleep. She smiled, the weight of worry slowly lifting.
He was okay.
They were all okay. Safe, whole, and alive.
A knock on the door drew her attention, and a nurse peeked her head in. “Excuse me, miss. You wanted me to let you know if anyone came in asking about Michael?”
Rhiannon straightened, her heart thudding in her chest. “Yes?”
The nurse smiled as she stepped into the room. “His parents are here.”
His parents.
She had been so afraid they were gone—that this little boy had lost them forever. But they were alive, and now they were here.
“They’re alive?” she asked, her voice shaky.
