Instead of allowing myself to rot in bed, consumed by the relentless pace of my thoughts, I chose to find something constructive to occupy my time—to check on Georgie and see how she felt.
I knocked on her door three times, each thud following a steady rhythm and waited. My foot drummed on the ground, and I winced as the fresh wounds on my legs complained.
After a moment of stillness, I knocked again, the sound echoing in the quiet. My brows furrowed.
Why wasn’t she answering? Was she unwell?
“Georgie? It’s Charisma. I just wanted to make sure you’re all right.”
The door creaked open, darkness swimming from Yvonne’s figure as she stepped out of the room, throwing one last glancebehind before closing the door as silently as possible. She threaded a hand through her hair, motioning toward a bench.
“She’s sleeping,” Yvonne explained as we sat down. Her eyes scanned me for a moment. “I forgot to thank you for what you did. She’s alive because of you, Charisma.”
I almost snorted. “I think I’m alive because of her.”
“What do you mean?”
My shoulders rose into a shrug, my fingers playing with the laces of a boot as I dragged my foot up on the bench. “I was ready to give up.” A gulp found its way into my throat, and my cheeks grew hot, but when I looked at Yvonne, she didn’t seem to judge me for saying that. “For a second, I didn’t remember why I was fighting so hard, and when I saw Georgie, she reminded me that you and her daughter were waiting for her.”
Yvonne nodded. “It was the only reason I kept going after we lost each other in the forest.” She paused, perhaps seeing something on my face. “Who’s waiting for you at home?”
Tears swelled in my eyes. I pushed them away. “My mother.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder, meeting my eyes. “Next time you feel like giving up, think about her.”
I wanted to say that I had, that for a short moment, in the deepest part of my mind, thought she’d be better off without me. Instead, I kept quiet, keeping it to myself.
“How is she?”
Yvonne released a breath. “Better—if you don’t count the nightmares. She wanted to come see you and thank you in person, but she was too weak. Hopefully, she’ll heal before the next trial.”
“And Nicolas? Did you see him around?”
She shook her head. “He doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Theo tried twice, but he wouldn’t open his door.”
At that, my chest constricted with a heavy, sinking feeling. Twins have always been known for a connection that exceededa superficial resemblance, and I couldn’t fathom how empty Nicolas must feel without his other half.
I wondered . . . if I knew for certain that my mother had died, would I still fight to win? I didn’t think so, but I hoped with all my might that Nicolas wouldn’t give up on himself. But then, was it better to battle until you perished, or to surrender and brace yourself for the inevitable?
“Tell Georgie I say hi,” I said in an attempt to escape my mind before standing up.
“I will. Thank you again, we’ll be forever in your debt.”
“Nonsense.” I shook my head. “I did what I thought any decent human would do.”
“Not Draven, though,” Yvonne retorted, her fists clenching beside her body.
“What?”
“Georgie told me he passed by and didn’t even spare her a second glance.”
That son of a bitch.
“Well, like I said, I did what I thought anydecenthuman would do.”
A ghost of a smile spread on her lips, as she moved toward Georgie’s door. “Good night, Charisma.”
“Good night.”
