Sobbing,I reach for Zuriel, except my hands hit blankets, then lukewarm air. My fingers strain, empty.
There’s beeping, the antiseptic scent of the hospital that follows my mom home. Blinking rapidly, I discover I’m in a bed.
He’s not here.
“Summer?”
“Ella?” Ella is here?
She gasps and leans forward, her blurry profile barely recognizable.
“You’re awake.”
My mouth opens, except I can’t speak. Tensing, I tug at the blankets, agitated. Moments ago I was fighting for my life, keeping a demon inside, and Zuriel—
Zuriel…
Ella hands me something. “Here.”
I squint, seeing a pair of glasses.
“They’re yours. A new pair since we couldn’t find the old ones. Your mom and I picked them out—I hope you like them. ”
My chest heaves as I struggle to understand. With shaking hands, I settle the glasses on my nose. They’re strange.Everythingis strange.
Adrial is gone.Gone.Ifelthis destruction. I’m certain of it. Pressing my hands to my chest and stomach, I confirm his absence. There’s no pressure, no blazing heat, or icy numbness. No hands clawing their way to freedom, and no worms wiggling up my throat. My body is mine again. So is my mind.
I take in the hospital room, recognizing it as a standard issue for Bloomsdark County Hospital. It’s daytime, sunlight pouring through the window to my right, illuminating Ella on my other side. The two of us are alone.
“How are you feeling?” she asks tensely, tapping her phone. “I’m letting your parents know you’re conscious. God, I’m so glad you’re awake.”
Awake?
I blink a few more times. The frames of my glasses are thicker than I’m used to, filling the edge of my vision with purple. Swallowing, unsure if I’m dizzy or nauseated, or hungry, I scrunch my nose—there’s tubing running up it. It’s itchy, and I rub at it.
Ella grabs my wrist. “It’s a feeding tube. I should call a nurse—”
I snatch her hand before she draws it away. “No, wait,” I say, my voice hoarse.
She frowns.
“Please, we need to talk.” I squeeze her hand.
“You’ve been in a coma for two weeks. The nurses need to see you.”
A coma... Somehow I survived.Zuriel…
“Don’t call them yet, please. Can we talk first? I need to know what happened.”
She sits back and nods, her expression softening. “Okay.” She blinks several times, and suddenly tears stream down her face as she rests her forehead against my hand. “Summer, I’m so glad you woke up.”
Unexpected tears fill my eyes. “Me… me too.”
“You scared me. You scared all of us.”
“I was scared too. I thought I wouldn’t make it.”
If I made it, Zuriel did too. Right? He had to.
