te

me back to

then sharpened into a jagged

ight, but my limbs felt heavy, as if

Oh, th

hattered my head

light stabbed at my retinas. It was

a grip that felt more possessive than comforting. Her eyes

ffled, dabbing at her n

my mind through the thick,

throat feeling like it

she splashed half of it onto the plastic tray. She held the

thirst, the cool liquid so

d, the memories

of the knife. The

dead?" I

, a theatrical shudder rippling through

y eyes for a second

surfaced. Something s

rkness had dr

erulean silk in the doorw

a," I

pulled her hand away f

abou

ked, my gaze fixing o

nt whine. "I was a little busy almost getting murdered, Dant

di

he words leaving my mouth, fueled by a

elief of finally s

ing pit opening in my stomach? W

she now?

ssing her arms. "Or feeling sorry for h

. That di

lways came to the hospital. She respected the duty

sat in that uncomfortable plastic chair f

e up,"

! You have

, help

in my side and forced myself upr

d in, checking

lo! You nee

winging my legs over the side of

eft some things for you,

e pain momentarily for

etic. She went to the counter and picked up a la

ded the

first. It felt

ked it

e glittered coldly u

sat a plain

dding

pped in a chest that s

nvelope. It was t

ped i

nnulment / Decr

*Elena

*Yest

e I was

told Sofia

I asked, my voice

he nurse said softly. "S

g the h

rse clarified. "S

was as if a vacuum had s

tor sped up, matching the fra

r," I barke

, you

oared, the sound t

a wheelchair. I wo

that velvet box like a lifeline, ignoring the fr

he SUV. He looked grim, his eyes av

enthouse," I orde

ing through the ban

ri

twenty years. Every stoplight was a torture device; e

house the moment the

!" I s

e answ

iet of an

ffocating sil

the maste

pt

where she had been sta

ors were stan

draft from the air conditi

were pulle

e gone. Her perfume

rush in the bat

ot a stray hair. Not

he had never e

fire in my side forgotten, replaced by a terr

n at the rin

one," I

me, looking around wi

g out a low whistle. "S

at down, bouncing a little on th

side her. "At least we don't have to pretend a

ked a

e woman I had

, looking at her smile

lt s