Luna. Chapter 68

(Lyra's POV)

While Kael was getting prepped for surgery, I sat with Asher and tried to process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. My son was sick, Magnus had left, and Kael was about to donate bone marrow to save our child's life.

"Any word from Magnus?" Kael asked when he returned to the room in a hospital gown.

"No." I didn't want to talk about Magnus right now. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as anyone can be for having their bone marrow extracted with a large needle."

"That's not funny."

"It's a little funny."

Despite everything, I smiled. "You're ridiculous."

"I'm scared," he said quietly. "Not about the surgery. About afterwards."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, after I do this, after I help save his life, I'm going to want to be part of it. His life. Your life. And I don't know if I have the right to ask for that."

"Kael—"

"Let me finish. I know I messed up. I know I hurt you. I know Magnus has been more of a father to Asher than I have. But after today, after this..." He gestured toward the operating room. "I can't go back to being a stranger."

"I wouldn't ask you to."

"What are you asking me to do?"

Before I could answer, Dr. Martinez returned with a grim expression.

"Is everything okay?" I asked immediately.

"The surgery is still on schedule. But I need to discuss something else with you." He sat down heavily. "We've been investigating what might have caused Asher's condition."

"And?"

"Aplastic anemia can be caused by various factors. Genetic predisposition, environmental toxins, certain medications." He paused. "Or intentional poisoning."

The room went cold. "What do you mean, intentional poisoning?"

"We found traces of a substance in Asher's blood that's known to suppress bone marrow function. It's not something he would have been exposed to accidentally."

Kael was on his feet instantly. "Someone poisoned my son?"

"It appears so. The substance is rare, expensive, and would require knowledge of supernatural physiology to use effectively."

"How long has he been exposed?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Based on the progression of his symptoms, probably weeks. Maybe longer."

"Who would do this?" But even as I asked the question, I knew the answer. The same people who'd been poisoning Victor. The same people who'd destroyed my marriage and tried to tear apart my family.

"Seraphina," Kael said grimly.

"She's been in federal custody," Dr. Martinez pointed out.

"Has she?" Kael pulled out his phone. "I need to make some calls."

As he stepped into the hallway, my mind raced through the possibilities. If Seraphina had somehow orchestrated this from prison, if she'd found a way to poison Asher...

"Mom?" Asher's voice was weak but clear.

I turned to find him awake, looking small and fragile against the white hospital sheets.

"Hey, baby. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. But better. Where's Magnus?"

My heart clenched. "He had to go away for a while."

"Because of the bad lady?"

"What bad lady?"

"The one who's been putting poison in my juice boxes."

I stared at him. "Asher, what are you talking about?"

"She comes to my school sometimes. She pretends to be a lunch volunteer, but she smells wrong. Like old flowers and lies."

"What does she look like?"

"Pretty but cold. Like winter without snow."

Seraphina. Somehow, she'd been accessing my son's school, poisoning him slowly while I thought he was safe.

Kael returned at that moment, his face dark with anger.

"She escaped," he said. "Three days ago. Federal transport was hit, and they've been covering it up while they searched for her."

"She's been poisoning Asher."

"What?"

I told him what Asher had said about the lunch volunteer. About the woman who smelled like lies.

"We need to move him," Kael said immediately. "Somewhere secure."

"He can't be moved. The surgery—"

"Can be done at Iron Claw medical facility. I'll have Adrian arrange transport."

"Is that safe?"

"Safer than staying here where she found him once already."

I looked at my son, pale and vulnerable, and made a decision.

"Do it. But Kael?" I grabbed his arm as he reached for his phone. "You need to tell me everything this time. No more secrets. If she's coming for our family, I need to know what we're up against."

"Everything?"

"Everything."

He nodded grimly. "After the surgery. When Asher is safe and recovering, I'll tell you everything."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

But as he made arrangements for our transfer, I wondered if there were some truths that would be harder to survive than the lies.