Page 112 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

“Riley,” Eli says in my ear. “It’ll be okay. Stop.”

The noise is coming from me. Vibrating in my chest.

“Easy does it.” He sits me on Mom’s bed and crouches in front of me. “Focus on me, okay?”

My gaze finds his. “I can’t do this.”

An EMT pauses beside him. “Miss, this is your mother?”

I cringe. “Yes.”

“Is she allergic to anything?”

I bolt upright. “I have a file—”

He squints at me, but I ignore him. It’s in the downstairs cabinet by the door. Eli follows me down and stands stock-still while I rifle through paperwork.

Where is it, where is it?

“Aha!” I yell.

They’ve brought Mom down on a stretcher, and one of the EMTs stops beside me.

“She had cancer. This is a list the hospital made—her doctors’ information is on there, her allergies are highlighted—”

The EMT pats my shoulder and takes the paper. “This is very helpful, thank you. We’re going to Beacon Hill Hospital. If you’re riding with your friend, just stay close behind the ambulance.”

Eli nods. “Got it, thanks.”

They head out, and Eli only spares a moment to grab a set of keys off the hook. He locks the door behind us and jogs to catch up to me.

“She’ll be okay,” he says.

Maybe he’s remembering what Amelie did.

“She called and said she just couldn’t take it anymore.” I shake my head and climb into his truck. My phone is on the center seat, blowing up with notifications. “Dad is calling me.”

He picks up the phone and hands it to me. “He’s at the hospital with Noah, isn’t he?”

“I didn’t think I’d have the lives of two people I love in danger at the same time,” I whisper.

“Answer it, Riley.”

I do, woodenly. Dad bombards me with questions—I guess my text was too cryptic.

It takes me a while to explain what happened. The phone call, finding Mom in the bathroom. I look down and realize I’m still holding the empty pill bottle.

I don’t know how I managed to hold onto it.

“She took her pain medication. I don’t know how much was left, but it’s all gone.”

He swears. “Where is she now?”

“In the ambulance.”

Eli is speeding, staying close to the rescue as it flies down the road. Cars move out of our way. I glimpse a familiar intersection and tell Dad.

“You’re close,” he says, exhaling. “It’ll be okay, Riley. You did the right thing.”