My heart hammers against my ribs. He knows. He knows! How long has he known? Since that day in the forest when—
Before I can process this, the door opens.
Selene steps inside, and the moment she sees me awake, her face crumples. “Daciana!” She’s at my bedside in an instant, and I can see the tears she’s trying to hold back. “I’m so happy to see you awake. It’s been two days, and I was so worried—”
“Two days?” This is news to me.
“Yes. You lost so much blood.” She grabs my hand, squeezing tight. “I really laid into Seth for forcing you to work such long hours. This is his fault.”
“Selene.” My voice comes out sharp now. Reproachful. “You shouldn’t interfere.”
“Nonsense.” Her eyes flash with anger. “It’s because you were so exhausted that you were attacked. Anyone could see you were barely functional. He had no right—”
“He had every right. I violated protocol.”
“That doesn’t mean—” She stops herself, taking a breath. Then, her healer’s mask slides into place. “How are you feeling?”
“Not so good,” I admit.
She nods, already checking my bandages with practiced efficiency. “You’re going to rest for a few days. At least a week. Then, we’ll see about you going back to work.”
“A week—”
“Is the minimum,” she says firmly. “You nearly died, Daciana. Your body needs time to heal. And you need sleep. Real sleep. Not a couple of hours between shifts.”
I want to argue, but exhaustion is pulling me down like an undertow.
Selene places her hand over my injured shoulder, and I feel it immediately: the warm tingle of her healing magic spreading through my body. It’s different from the healing she performed when I first arrived here, which I’m starting to remember. This is gentler. Slower. The magic seeps into my muscles, easing the tension I’ve been carrying for days. Weeks.
My eyelids grow heavy.
“That’s it,” Selene murmurs, her magic still flowing, steady and calm. “Just let go.”
The warmth spreads through my chest, down my arms, into my legs. Every knot of anxiety, every thread of pain, slowly unraveling under her touch. My breathing deepens. Slows.
“Sleep,” she says softly. “Really sleep this time.”
I try to fight it, try to stay awake, but the magic is too strong. Too soothing. My eyes drift closed.
The last things I’m aware of are Kieran’s presence beside me, solid and steady, and Selene’s warm hand on my shoulder.
Then, darkness takes me, soft and dreamless. Finally, finally peaceful.
I wake slowly this time,with no jolt of pain or confusion. Just a gentle rise into consciousness, my body heavy but not aching.
The ceiling above me isn’t white, though. I blink, focusing on my surroundings. My quarters. I’m in my own bed, in my own small room. The familiarity of it relieves the tightness in my chest.
Then, I notice the figure sitting beside my bed.
Kieran.
He’s in the same chair I sat in while he recovered, looking just as uncomfortable in it as I was. His eyes are on me, alert despite the exhaustion shading his face.
I pull myself into a sitting position, and I’m surprised when my body obeys without too much protest. I feel better. Weak, yes, but the bone-deep exhaustion that was crushing me before has eased.
“What are you doing here?” My voice comes out steadier than expected.
“Looking after you.”
