New Roots (Fate's Intent Book 8) by April Bowles Page A

next to him. I kept my distance so I wouldn’t bump him but closed my eyes so I could rest with him.
    Hours passed and I woke from the nap in time to start working on getting down dinner. It was brought to me and I sat on the bed eating it while Troy continued to sleep next to me. I didn’t want to leave him. I wanted to make sure that he was going to be okay.
    Even after I finished and the tray was taken away, I sat in bed with him just watching him sleep. It was hard for me to even look away but I did when the door opened and Zayden and Darius came in, carrying stuff.
    “Is he awake?” Zayden asked.
    “Not yet.”
    “Well, we can start anyway, I guess.” Darius said. “Maybe you should go, Jaylyn.”
    I got defensive and held my place. “No. I’m staying.”
    “Think that’s a good idea?” Zayden asked, setting up everything they’d need next to Troy’s side of the bed.
    “I’m not leaving.” I said again, making it clear that I wouldn’t.
    “Very well. Just keep out of the way.”
    “I will. Where’s your little follower?”
    “Rift? Napping. Long day for all of us.”
    I just nodded and Zayden sat next to Troy on the bed and took his left arm. He used a pair of sheers to cut the bandages and I saw the first cut on his arm. I reacted with a light breath.
    “Jaylyn, watch it.” Darius said. “Do not make me take you out of here.”
    “I won’t. I’m fine. Really.”
    Zayden cleaned the wounds on Troy’s arm and re-wrapped it while he was still sleeping. He was able to get his other arm done too without him waking up but the hard part was coming. “Okay, Jaylyn, I need you to look at me.” I took my eyes off Troy for the first time and met Zayden’s. “This part is going to be worse and he will wake up from the pain. You need to not make it worse by showing your worry.”
    I just nodded again and Zayden put his attention back down on Troy. He took the blankets off his torso so he exposed the bandages and Darius handed him the sheers.
    “Steady, Jaylyn.” Zayden said, bringing the sheers towards the bandages.
    “I’m fine.”
    He cut the bandages on both of Troy’s sides and gently pulled the clean half out from underneath him where he didn’t have his wounds.
    Troy moved around for a moment and Zayden carefully started lifting the rest of the bandages. The change of air directly reaching the wounds caused Troy to wake up with a heavy breath, making Zayden stop.
    I gasped and got closer to him so he wouldn’t act. “Troy, it’s okay. It’s us.”
    “What are you doing in here? I didn’t want you here for this.”
    “I’m not going anywhere.”
    “It’s about to get worse.” Zayden said. “You ready?”
    “Like I have a choice. Just do it.”
    Zayden took the bandages off completely and the air probably caused them to sting. I knew that Troy tried his best to hold it in with me right next to him but my sights weren’t necessarily on his pain at the moment. I was looking at his torn up body and my eyes started watering.
    Troy reached for my hand and I was shaking. I wasn’t even blinking. “Darius, take her.”
    “Jaylyn, come on.”
    Darius reached for my arm but I didn’t want to move. “No. I’m fine.”
    “Jaylyn, go with him.” Troy said. “It’s okay.”
    My tears started to fall as Darius was pulling me away. “No, I’m not leaving you!”
    Troy gritted his teeth with pain and spoke through them. “Get her out of here!”
    “Sorry about this, Jaylyn.”
    Darius picked me right up off the bed and forcefully took me towards the door as I screamed. “No! Darius, put me down! Troy!”
    He kept his eyes off me as I was carried out of the room and Darius brought me right into his.
    Ruby was inside. “Jaylyn? What is it?”
    “She saw Troy’s wounds.” Darius brought me over to the bed but I was still crying almost uncontrollably. “Can you watch her and make sure she stays here?”
    “Of course.”
    “It shouldn’t be much longer. Zayden’s cleaning