Her heart ached at the sound, and for the first time since she entered this strange place, shefelt.
She didn’t quite understand what they were saying, though. Come back? Where was she?
“Please... need...”
The voice was growing fainter, and the silver ribbons were disappearing again.
Something within Vivienne screamed, and she knew that if they left, they’d never return. She’d be stuck in this place of darkness forever.
Somehow, that hurt more than everything else she’d experienced so far.
She strained for the light, wishing she understood how to move in this place.
“Vivienne.” Again, that voice called for her. “Please...”
She didn’t know how she did it. She wasn’t sure whether it was through pure will, strange magic, or something else entirely, but it didn’t matter. Not really. All that mattered was that one moment, she was in that weightless, nothing place, and the next, she wasn’t.
Silver light engulfed her, caressing and embracing her, and then, it vanished.
For one long moment, there was nothing but blackness.
And then, there was pain.
Oh, gods.
It was everywhere. Her head pounded against the confines of her skull. Her limbs were made of lead and unable to move. Her chest was on fire, burning, burning, burning.
Breathing in was like inhaling shards of sunlight, and her lungs felt like they were moments away from bursting into flames. Every beat of her heart was like a dagger piercing her chest.
Nothing was good. Nothing was easy.
Why had she come back? In the emptiness, she had felt nothing.
That was better than this.
If this was life, she didn’t want it. She didn’t want to be caught in this painful existence, alive only to feel the utter agony coursing through her. Aches and pains had nothing on this.
It was as though she’d ingested silver, and now the deadly compound ran through her veins in the place of darkness.
Even thinking hurt.
A low moan crawled up her scratchy throat. The rough sound was wrong. All of this was wrong.
What had she done to deserve this? A sharp inhale came from beside her, and fingers brushed her cheek. The touch was gentle, but Vivienne couldn’t stop herself from wincing. Her skin was on fire, and every touch was too much.
The emptiness from before had been a mercy. A reprieve.
This was torture. Recompense for the lives she’d taken as a soldier. Retribution for her failures. Punishment for her sins.
This was hell.
“Can you hear me, Viv?” The words were a pained whisper. “I’m sorry. I’m so gods-damned sorry.”
Wetness fell on her cheeks like raindrops from above, a cooling balm to the inferno roaring beneath her skin. She shifted her head towards the salty rain.
“Open your eyes,” the familiar voice murmured. “Please.”
Why did that last word tug on her heart so much? Why did it have her fighting to open her eyes even though the movement sent searing pain racing through her? Why did she?—
