KAIDEN
The word felt like a blow to my gut. I gasped out loud, tearing my tie loose with trembling hands. Red had no real connection with my father, but I felt him let out a mournful howl.
"He's…dead?" I barely say, staring with wild, unfocused eyes at my father, who remained still on the bed with a smile on his face.
No. I shot a glare at Rachel; her eyes brimming with tears, and her lips moved, muttering incoherent words nonstop.
She is messing with me.
But who'd joke about something as serious as this?
I reached for the side of his neck, feeling his pulse, gripped his cold, stiff hand, pressing my index finger to his wrist, but I felt nothing. Not even a faint heartbeat. Not a twitch. He just lay still.
"Dad," I said, my voice firm. Then he proceeded to grip his shoulders and shake him twice, but nothing happened.
"Kaiden…Kaiden—" I heard Lyra's voice. It weirdly sounded distant.
