Read Online Opal's Wish: Book Four of The Crystal Warriors Series by Maree Anderson - Free Book Online Page B

help you. Please.”
    “Th-Th-thanks.” She sank into the battered easy chair catty-corner from the couch and settled Sera in her lap, angling her so Sera couldn’t see Dan lying there on the scuffed wooden floorboards. A whooping breath from Sera was followed by another fit of coughing that seemed to go on forever. Opal had never felt so useless as she patted Sera’s back and tried to get her to calm her breathing.
    “Dan,” Sera whispered and coughed again.
    “Ssshhh. D-D-Don’t try to t-t-talk.”
    Desiree tucked her mobile into her pants and perched on the arm of Opal’s chair. “I’ve called my doctor-friend, Sera. He’ll look after Dan, and you, too. I promise. Just try to stay calm until he gets here. He was at home, so he’s only a few minutes away. Not long now.”
    “Not long now” was pure hell. Even five minutes of listening to Sera struggle to catch her breath between bouts of coughing seemed like a lifetime.
    A groan snatched their attention. Opal turned her head in time to see Dan pushing himself up from the floor. He leaned against the couch, resting his forearms on his bent knees. “Gods.” He grunted and cleared his throat. “Who hit me?”
    “No one,” Desiree told him, sarcasm lacing her voice. “You were giving us a bunch of BS about a crystal when you went down like someone smacked you upside the head with a brick.”
    Before Opal could prod her sluggish brain to react, Sera slid from her lap and crawled over to Dan. Opal tensed, poised to launch herself from her seat, but Desiree clutched her arm. “Wait. He might be able to calm her down until Roth gets here.”
    Opal didn’t much like the idea. Her instincts were screaming that Dan was a huge unknown quantity. But right now she had few choices, so she’d suck it up and do whatever it took to help Sera through this. But if he scared Sera or hurt her in any way, she’d… she’d… do something drastic.
    “What is wrong, little one?” Dan asked.
    Sera’s reply was drowned in a series of whoops and coughs. Opal clutched her thighs and forced herself to remain still. The concern in the big man’s gaze, his gentle care as he scooped Sera up and settled her in his lap with her head resting against his chest, had to be genuine. No one could be that good of an actor.
    He thumbed the tears from Sera’s face. “Are you having trouble breathing again?”
    She nodded.
    “Did you take the medicine?”
    Another nod.
    “Did it not work, then?”
    A head shake and a sob.
    Opal curled her fingers into tight fists. Her short-clipped nails cut into her palms.
    “We have done this before, little one. Remember?” Dan’s whole focus was on Sera. “Breathe with me, Sera. In. And out. In. And out.”
    His chant went on, never flagging for an instant, just as his gaze never left Sera’s face for an instant. And as Opal watched, mesmerized, after a few tense moments her daughter’s breathing calmed and synced with the big man’s slower, even breaths.
    “Well done, little one,” Dan told his charge. “You have the courage of a sand-cat.”
    “Are they… very brave?” Sera asked, and to Opal’s relief there was only the slightest hitch in Sera’s voice as she drew breath.
    “Of course. One has only to observe them stalking a viper to know they are fierce little creatures.” He chucked her under the chin. “Like you.”
    She giggled and hugged him.
    “Well I’ll be damned,” Desiree murmured. “It worked.”
    Yes, it had. And Opal couldn’t think of a thing to add. She slumped back in her chair and watched, bemused and enchanted in equal measure, as the big man regaled her daughter with some tale of an intrepid wildcat who’d dared sneak into his tent and make a bed atop the rag he used to clean his…
sword
? Jesus. He sure had an active imagination.
    The doorbell shrilled.
    “That’ll be Roth.” Desiree made a beeline for the front door.
    Opal tore her gaze from Dan and her daughter, and heaved her lethargic body from