Malakai laughed weakly, but there was no humour in it. He didn't want to have this conversation with her. But he was certain that if he held it back, he would choke on it."You had him," he said. "You had someone who could actually stand next to you. Someone useful.""Kai—""I heard you," he added, his voice strained.Harper's stomach clenched."Oh..." she whispered, realizing why he was acting so strange.Malakai looked away again, his throat tight."I can't even protect you right now," he said. "I can't stand, I can't breathe properly, I can't even—" His voice cracked, frustration bleeding through, "—get out of bed without almost passing out."Harper felt his pain like it was hers, desperate to comfort him."You're out there making decisions... about bringing in people I don't even know..." he continued, shaking his head. "And I'm just—what? Sitting here?"He gripped the bedsheet. "Useless.""No," Harper said immediately.But he shook his head."I saw you," he whispered. "The w
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