Chapter 90

He dropped to his knees by him, closely followed by Gareth, who was breathing heavily. “Samuel?” he whispered.

Gareth rolled Samuel gently over. “Hey, hey, old thing,” he crooned softly. “It’s safe now. You’re safe now.” There was no movement and no response.

Fear gripped Tristan. Hard and brutal.

He pushed Gareth aside and took Samuel’s face in his hands. Eyes closed, unmoving. He couldn’t see a wound, but then Gareth dragged his arm from behind him and his coat was covered in blood. They both stared stupidly until Gareth put a hand to the back of Samuel’s head and it, too, came back coated in blood.

Tristan pushed his fingers into Samuel’s neck, frantically searching for a heartbeat. It was there. It was strong. He managed to breathe through the fear that strangled him.

“Go and get my cousin.”

“Who the fuck is your cousin? He isn’t going to listen to me. You go. I will take care of him.”

“I am not leaving him.”

“You have to. He won’t die.”