Rising, he returned to Livia and Zavid, who waited at the bedroom door. “Watch him and make sure nothing else happens to him.”

Zavid caught Nick’s arm. “Where are you going?”

“To find a cure.”

“And if you can’t?” Livia asked.

Nick glanced back at Caleb and in his mind he saw the future where he lost everyone he loved. Saw himself standing alone, surrounded by flames and destruction. It was a future he refused to embrace.

His genetics, family, and birth would never define his fate. Only he would control his destiny. Not the gods and not some bullshit prophecy.

He met Livia’s gaze and answered her question with every bit of Cajun stubbornness he possessed. “I will save him from this. Whatever it takes. Caleb has fought too many battles for me for me to turn my back on him now.”

Zavid inclined his head respectfully to Nick. “I’ll guard him with everything I have.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Determined, Nick returned to school. He left the bathroom to find Kody still waiting for him in the hallway.

She glanced around Nick’s shoulder, to the door. Then scowled. “Did you leave him in there?”

“Flashed him home.”

She let out a relieved breath. “How’s he doing?”

“Not good. He’s in a coma or something.”

Gaping in disbelief, she paled. “What? How is that possible?”

Nick shrugged. “I don’t know. What do we do, Kody? I don’t even have a clue on how to start to make him better.”

“Me neither. I’ve never heard of this. What did Zavid and Liv say?”

“Demons don’t get sick.”

“They’re right.”

Nick glanced to the door where the rider had vanished before homeroom. “Did you see or feel anything earlier?”

“What do you mean?”

“Before class started? When you were trying to get my attention? I saw a rider on a black horse with scales come tearing down the hallway. He rode straight through me and out the door that was flung open for no reason.”

She arched a brow at what he was saying. “Yrre? You saw Yrre? Here in the hallway?”

He shrugged. “I guess. Was that Yrre?”

“Dressed all in white?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded slowly. “But Yrre isn’t a guy. It’s a woman.”

“Oh. I didn’t get that. I couldn’t see a face or body shape. All I saw was the horse and the robes and scales.… You think she had something to do with this?”

Kody took a minute to consider that before she answered. “You and Caleb closed the gate, right? You sealed everything?”

“Caleb said we did.”

“Then there’s no way Yrre could be free. The ušumgallu can’t assemble and ride without the Malachai to lead them. You’re their head and they need your blood to rise.… I think it must have been another of your visions. It’s probably why you didn’t know she was a woman and couldn’t see her face. Maybe she was trying to reach out to you to get you to free her?”