Chapter 225: We Need You, Riley

XENOIS The walk to Riley's hospital room felt like a death march. Each step carried the weight of everything we'd lost, everything we'd failed to protect, and everything we might lose still. Lumina walked beside me, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles had gone white, and I could feel the tension radiating from her like heat from a fever.   We'd agreed that only the two of us should approach Riley initially. Too many people would feel like an ambush, and our son was already skittish enough around us. The betrayal he felt over Sophia's death had created a chasm between us that seemed to grow wider with every passing hour.   Through the small window in the door, I could see Riley sitting vigil beside Lake's bed. His posture was rigid with exhaustion and determination, one hand holding Lake's limp fingers while the other absently smoothed the younger boy's hair. Even unconscious, Lake seemed to anchor Riley in a way that nothing else could.   The sight made something twist painfully