I pull the tube, and the IV stand shakes.
Kaiser’s eyes pop open. “Bella?”
I grit my teeth and dig my nails under the tape on my elbow. It hurts as it peels away.
“Bella. You’re awake.”
“Get this off me,” I croak.
He grabs a bottle of water, breaks the seal, and holds it to my lips. I drink a few mouthfuls until he makes me take a break.
I lick my lips again. It tastes like someone’s put cherry Chapstick on them. “How long have I been out?”
He looks around blearily for a clock. “Fifty-two hours.”
Hecate, help me. That’s a long time. I knew I’d have a temporary reaction to all the poisons I took, but this is a little dramatic. I overdid it.
My father would say I told you so. Kaiser looks like he lived through a war. He helps me drink more water, and I feel better. I scoot until I can sit up, then get back to peeling off the tape until I can rip out the IV. He reaches for me, and I flinch. I don’t want him touching me. I can still feel the poisons swirling under my skin. They’re not killing me anymore. I’ve assimilated to them. They’re a part of me but still deadly.
He hesitates with his hand hovering just out of reach. “Do you feel okay?”
“I’m fine.” I look up and see a stranger walking through the door. “Who’s this?”
“Your nurse,” Kaiser says.
“I’m Tommy,” the stranger says, grabbing a stethoscope and approaching. “I’ll just check your vitals.”
Kaiser seems fine with this, so I lie back and let the nurse do his thing.
“Temperature’s normal,” the nurse sounds surprised. “I’ll inform Atticus.”
Kaiser tells me Atticus has been overseeing my care. I nod absently. I notice a stack of old notebooks on the bedside table. They look familiar. I wait until the nurse leaves to ask Kaiser, “What are those?”
“Your mother’s journals.” He stands beside the bed, looking worried.
“Oh.” I reach out and stroke the closest one. It has a pretty cover, blooming peonies on a green background.
I remember Kaiser’s voice rising and falling close by. I was in the dark and couldn’t see, but I could hear him. “You read them to me.”
“Yes. I thought it would help. Your father found them for us.”
I raise my head. “Did he visit me?”
Kaiser looks like I’ve punched him in the gut. “No.”
I sigh. I guess I can’t be disappointed.
“Bella.” Kaiser sits on the bed. “He wanted to. It’s my fault he didn’t come.”
“What?”
“I told him I would kill him if he tried to see you.” His face holds no expression, but I know him well enough to know he feels guilty. He’s torn up about this. “I thought he had done something to you.”
“No. He wouldn’t.” I pick at the bedspread. I like that Kaiser defended me to my father. “When my father poisons someone, no one ever finds out.”
“Bella, why did you do this?”
“I was testing something.” I quote one of my favorite movies. “I’ve built up a tolerance to deadly iocane powder.”
