Chapter 41

“Hello, Everett,” Amerie responded. She needed to tread lightly. An Ancient was intimately involved and Everett could be in danger. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. Come sit.” He patted the space next to him on the edge of the hospital bed. Amerie obeyed and sat with her ankles crossed. “I was visited by an Ancient. He told me that you needed someone worthy to stand by your side and offered me a deal.” Amerie’s stomach dropped, but she simply nodded for him to continue. He took her hand in his and proclaimed, “I would have died today if I hadn’t taken the deal. He also told me that you would have died in the near future if I wasn’t there for you.”

“What was the deal?” Amerie choked.

Everett sighed. “He gave me the ability to heal myself quickly and made me immune to the venom.”

Amerie waited for a moment, but he didn’t continue. “In exchange for what, Everett?”

“It was nothing. He said he’d grant me these gifts and help protect you in exchange for telling him what Minera told you.”