Sabine had been alive then, the only phoenix she’d seen there. And Dante, he hated her, so why would he have brought her back? Why would he have wasted a single second on her, much less actually shed a tear?
A shiver skated over her. Impossible. The wounds just must not have been as severe as she’d thought. Ryder was mistaken about what he’d seen. Obviously, the guy had been distracted as he focused on saving Sabine. There had been so much fire and smoke. He hadn’t seen clearly.
I dragged myself out of the room. Yes, that’s what happened. Then I got . . . I got stronger when I breathed some fresh air. I was able to go back inside and help the others.
“Why do you look so scared?” Ryder asked her as he tilted his head to study her. “Has someone been threatening you?”
She remembered eyes that burned. “N-no.” Cassie forced a smile. “Everything is fine. The patients are getting better.” The nightmare that was Genesis—it was over.
Dead.
She wouldn’t tell Ryder about Dante. Besides, there was nothing to tell. Just the nightmares that were now haunting her days.
And the dreams that haunted her nights. Dreams of Dante touching her. Calling for her.
She grabbed her stethoscope. “Let’s go check on the wolf.”
Her steps tapped over the tile. Cassie didn’t look back, but she could have sworn that she smelled . . .
Smoke.
And where there was smoke . . .
A phoenix often waited.