Not much of a chance, though. Circle Daybreak agents would follow Jaime and her family after this, watching from the shadows and ready to act if the Night World showed up again. It was a standard precaution.
Both Mr. and Ms. Ashton-Hughes, Jaime's parents, came down from Jaime's floor to speak to Galen in the emergency room.
"You saved our daughter," her mother said. "We don't know how to thank you."
Galen shook his head. "Really, it just happened. I mean, anybody would have done it."
Ms. Ashton-Hughes smiled slightly and shook her head in turn. Then she looked at Iliana.
"Jaime says she hopes your hand heals quickly. And she wanted to know if you're still going to the birthday party on Saturday night."
"Oh-" For a moment, Iliana looked bewildered, as if she'd forgotten about the party. Then she brightened. "Yeah, tell her that I am. Is she still going?"
"I think so. The doctor said she can go home tomorrow, as long as she keeps quiet for a few days. And she said she wasn't going to miss it even if her head fell off." Iliana smiled.
It was well into the evening by the time they all got home. Everyone was tired, even the baby-and Iliana was asleep.
Mr. Dominick came hurrying out of the house. He was a medium-sized man with dark hair and glasses, and he looked very anxious. He came around to the backseat as Hiana's mother filled him in on the situation.
But it was Galen who carried Iliana inside. She didn't wake up. Hardly surprising. The doctor had given her something for the pain, and Keller knew that she hadn't had much sleep the night before. She lay in Galen's arms like a trusting child, her face turned against his shoulder.
They looked... very good together, Keller thought. They looked right.
Winnie and Nissa hurried upstairs and turned down Diana's sheets. Galen gently lowered her to the bed. He stood looking down at her. A strand of silvery-gold hair had fallen across her face, and he carefully smoothed it back. That single gesture told Keller more than anything else could have.
He understands, she thought. It's like that moment when she looked at him and discovered all at once that he's brave and gentle and caring. He understands that she cut herself to try and save Jaime, and that people love her because she loves them so much first. And that she couldn't be petty or spiteful if she tried, and that she's probably never wished another person harm in her life.
He sees all that in her now.
Mrs. Dominick came in just then to help get Iliana undressed. Galen, of course, went out. Keller gestured for Winnie and Nissa to stay, and followed him.
This time, she was the one who said, "Can I talk with you?"
They slipped into the library again, and Keller shut the door. With everything that was going on in the house, she didn't think anyone would notice.
Then she faced him.
She hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. There was some illumination from the window but not much. It didn't really matter. Shapeshifter eyes were good in the dark, and Keller was just as glad he couldn't study her face.
She could see enough of his as he stood by the window. The light picked up the edge of his golden head, and she could see that his expression was troubled and a little uncertain.
"Keller-" he began.
Keller held up a hand to cut him off. "Wait. Galen, first I want to tell you that you don't owe me an explanation." She took a breath. "Look, Galen, what happened this morning was a mistake. And I think we both realize that now."
"Keller..."
"I shouldn't have gotten so upset at you about it. But that's not the point. The point is that things have worked out."
He looked bleak suddenly. "Have they?"
"Yes," Keller said firmly. "And you don't need to try and pretend otherwise. You care about her. She cares about you. Are you going to try and deny that?"
Galen turned toward the window. He looked more than bleak now; he looked terribly depressed. "I do care about her," he said slowly. "I won't deny it. But-"
"But nothing! It's good, Galen. It's what was meant to be, and it's what we came here for. Right?"
He shifted miserably. "I guess so. But Keller-"
"And it may just possibly save the world," Keller said flatly.
There was a long silence. Galen's head was down.
"We've got a chance now," Keller said. 'It should be easy to get her to come to the ceremony on Saturday-as long as we can make her forget about
that ridiculous party. I'm not saying use her feelings against her. I'm just saying go with it. She should want to be promised to you."
Galen didn't say anything.
"And that's all. That's what I wanted to tell you. And also that if you're going to act stupid and guilty because of something that was... a few minutes of silliness, a mistake-well, then, I'm not going to talk to you ever again."
His head came up. "You think it was a mistake?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
In one motion, he turned around and took her by the shoulders. His fingers tightened, and he stared at her face as if he were trying to see her eyes.
"And that's what you really think?"
"Galen, will you please stop worrying about my feelings?" She shrugged out of his grip, still facing him squarely. Tm fine. Things have worked out just the way they should. And that's all we ever need to say about it."
He let out a long breath and turned toward the window again. Keller couldn't tell if the sigh was relief or something else.
"Just make sure she comes to the ceremony. Not that it should be difficult," she said.
There was another silence. Keller tried to read his emotions through his stance and failed completely.