He shrugged.
“If we would’ve lived through this, I’d name our baby Hazel.”
“Whenwe get through this,” he corrected her.
“If we get through this, we get to spend our lives together. I don’t know anything about you, Rhyn,” Katie said. “What the hell happened to you to make you as you are?”
“I’ve always been broken.”
“I don’t mean broken. I mean, how are you not a traitor like Sasha or a cold jerk like Kris? How did you spend so long in Hell and still try to follow parts of the Code? How did you and Gabriel become friends?”
“Gabriel is more of a brother to me than my own brothers. I don’t know why I am the way I am. I don’t even know much of the Immortal Code, just the few key parts Andre used to lecture me about. Loyalty to my brothers, my mate, the Immortals, humanity. Respect for Death and her domain. Other variations of those.”
“Then start from the beginning. Tell me your story.”
Rhyn hesitated, unable to shake the disturbing sense that Katie’s interest came from her resolve that this was the last time they’d see each other.
“I was born, wandered the Immortal world for the first few years. I met Gabe, and he took me to Andre, who raised me for a few years, before my brothers decided I was better off in Hell,” he summarized. “That’s it.”
“There’s more to you than that.”
“If you say so.”
“Gabe has been your guardian angel,” she added. “I’m happy he found you.”
“Me, too.”
“I think he’s in trouble, Rhyn.”
“What do you mean?”
“Something’s not right. I guess he can take better care of himself than Toby,” she said. “Have you found Toby yet?”
“I have an idea where he is.”
“You have to protect him, Rhyn. He’s too young to get himself out of things.”
Rhyn glanced from the rolling teal waves to his mate. Her words about Gabe were troubling, and he couldn’t determine if she was purposely vague or really didn’t know. Her pretty face was puzzled, and he frowned. She was beyond tired. Whatever was happening to her in the underworld, it wasn’t good. Anger filled him. As much as he wanted to stay in the dream world in case it really was the last time he saw her, he couldn’t help her while stuck in the dream.