Fathom(49)

“Yes, of course!” I heard the faucet turn on. “Do you want to sit down?”

“No, thank you.” I could tell he felt weak just by the tone of his voice. “I think I need to lie down again.”

“Yes, of course. Can I help you up the stairs?”

“No, thank you.” His wedding ring clinked against the glass Mom gave him and I heard her walk him to the stairs.

“Try and get some more sleep, Thayde,” she said. “I’m sure Morgandy will wake up soon. Try not to worry. I’ve told Tammer and Ezen that Morgan found you and you’re safe. That lifted a huge burden off their shoulders. Tammer was very concerned about you but couldn’t leave Ezen alone with Limus.”

“Thank you.”

I listened to Thayde slowly ascend the stairs and realized how stiff and sore my body felt – like I had been run over. Aletheia never told me leaping would hurt this much. I sat up in bed and looked around the room. I’d been moved into the guest bedroom. Two twin beds stood next to each other, separated by a beautiful wooden side table. Matching red and white down filled quilts lay on both beds. I had kicked mine off, noticing the bed next to mine had been slept in.

There was a soft noise at the door and Thayde walked into the room. I gasped at what I saw. He was wearing soft blue running pants with white vertical stripes down the sides and a black tank top. His collar bones pushed white against his grey skin and he was slightly hunched over. When he turned his face to look at me, I could have cried. He looked like death, but he was still my Thayde.

I leapt off the bed and flew into his embrace. He hung his arms around me and sighed. He didn’t even feel the same - it was as if I was holding onto a different person, not my strong husband. He kissed the top of my head and stroked my hair.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I sniffed and he let go of me.

“I’ve got to lie down, Morgan,” he mumbled and I helped him to his bed. Once he lay down, he smiled that gorgeous smile. “Man, I’ve missed you.”

The edge of the bed sagged as I sat down. I ran my hand down his arm. “Thayde, what happened to you?”

He didn’t answer at first – he just stared at me, love splayed across his face.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said.

I felt awful I hadn’t told him I loved him. I leaned forward and kissed his cool lips.

“I love you so much, Thayde. I want you to know that.”

“I know.” He reached for my hand and I took it, holding it to my chest. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

I wasn’t, but that was the last thing I would have told him. Instead, I nodded and stroked his hair.

“Are you in pain?” I asked and he nodded.

“The pain’s always there and my body is not strong. It’s failing.”

I didn’t know what to say. Panic gripped my heart as the feeling of helplessness overwhelmed me.

Thayde gasped at the same time. “Baby, you’ve got to stop having these intense reactions. They’re killing me.”

I was mortified. “I’m killing you?”

He smiled weakly. “No. It’s just I can feel what you’re feeling and it’s more intense than usual. I could feel it when we were tracking Limus too – that’s partly why it took so long.” His breathing changed. “You can’t block this pain.”

I didn’t know what to do. How could I stop what I was feeling? I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack.

“Please stop,” he cried and clutched at his chest. “Morgan!” His chest rose as his back arched and he grunted in pain.

I turned and ran out of the room screaming for Mom and Aletheia. They were lounging on the patio with Lars and Jacob. The four of them leapt to their feet, drinks flying.

“What’s happened?” Mom flew through the door.

“It’s Thayde. I don’t know what to do. I feel as if I’m going to have a panic attack and it’s affecting him.”

She ran around me, bounding up the stairs. Aletheia guided me to a chair.

“Focus on controlling your emotions, Morgan. Pull yourself together and slow everything down.”

Instinctively, I looked up at the open bedroom window from which Thayde’s cries poured. Aletheia grabbed my face, forcing me to look into her eyes.

“Do it now, Morgan!” She ordered and I obeyed. Moments later, there was silence.

“Is he all right?” I asked and Aletheia hung her head.

“Because of the cording, your emotions enter him and open the pain from The Shadow back up. You cannot get overly emotional with him.”

“Why can’t I feel his pain any longer?” I asked, my eyes nervously darting from Aletheia’s face to the upstairs window.