Dangerous Lies (Lies 5)

“No, I’m good. And that’s okay; Liesel saved me,” Rose says.

The two run off toward the house hand-in-hand.

We should get them some therapy and make sure they don’t have lasting effects, but for now, they seem like they are going to be okay.

Zeke and Siren are both standing to the side of one of the SUVs. Liesel and I walk over to them.

“Thank you,” we both say at the same time. We both hug each of them.

“Are you okay? We can never repay you for what you did,” Liesel says.

Siren opens her mouth but doesn’t speak.

Zeke is staring at Siren like he’s trying to read her thoughts.

They both look like we do—exhausted, worn down, bruised, and cut up. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are slow to answer or process what we are saying, but they aren’t talking at all. Something’s wrong.

I walk up to Siren, my eyes searching for an answer. I touch her arm. We’ve always shared a connection that I don’t understand.

Somehow all three of our families are connected through a bond different than the ones we have with our spouses. My connection is with Siren. Zeke has a connection with Kai. Liesel has a connection with Enzo. It’s a strange circle, but it’s our family.

When I touch her, I know something is wrong. My eyes search hers; I can feel loss inside of her.

“Siren lost her voice. I lost my hearing,” Zeke says.

Siren nods, once again, not speaking.

I grab her head and pull her tightly to my body, needing to comfort her in some way. Once I’ve tried to take away some of her pain, I look to Zeke.

“Explain,” I say as slowly as I can, mouthing my word to him.

He knows what I’m asking, though, even without looking.

“The game. In order to win and save Atlas, we both had to play a sacrifice card. The card made us sacrifice something. They poured liquid in my ears and Siren’s throat, burning my eardrums and her vocal cords. We think the damage is temporary. My ears are already starting to ring, but we should have a doctor see if there is anything they can do to speed the healing up,” Zeke says. His voice is shaky and tentative as he speaks since he can’t hear himself talk.

“You shouldn’t have given up your voice or your hearing,” I say, completely speechless at the sacrifice they were both willing to make.

Siren tries to speak, but I can see how much pain stabs into her throat when she tries. She frowns and shakes her hand at Zeke, who pulls out a pen and paper from his pocket and hands it to her.

She starts scribbling furiously and then holds it up to me. Liesel looks at it over my shoulder as well.

It was our choice. We wanted to make the sacrifice to save Atlas. He’s like a son to us. It was just my voice, just Zeke’s hearing. Both can heal, and even if they don’t, it will still have been worth it. Saving Atlas’ life was worth it.

She’s scribbled three lines under the last sentence.

“I’m going to find a way to heal you,” I look at Siren, then Zeke. “Both of you.”

Siren rolls her eyes and huffs.

“I understand that it’s not about that. Thank you. You did your part though, let me do mine,” I say, hugging Siren again.

I’m so consumed by my concern for Siren and Zeke that it takes me a minute to realize what this means. To win his game, Beckett also had to sacrifice something in order to save Declan. What did he have to sacrifice?

And then my heart drops even further as I look at Liesel; she’s watching me carefully. She said she won her game to ensure they wouldn’t have a reason to get Rose back.

What did she sacrifice?

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