As soon as the helicopter landed, Manning was running. Hush was standing in the water, but for some reason, everyone ignored him. Each step he took splashed, but Hush didn’t turn around to look at him.
Icy fear trickled into Manning’s belly. What if he’d drained himself too much? What if he was hurt?
“Hush!”
As soon as he was close enough, Manning grabbed him and pulled him close, only wincing a little as the impact hurt his shoulder. He slid his free hand over Hush’s back and over his shoulders. He was slim as always but not a walking skeleton.
“Hush?” Manning gripped his arm and stepped back to look at him. Sorrow shone in those silvery eyes. Despair etched his delicate face. What had happened? Had they failed? “Are you okay?”
He nodded.
“What happened?”
“Solstice helped me.”
Man
