FORTY-TWO

LIANI

BEEP…BEEP…BEEP. “Mmmm,” I groan while wiping my eyes. My head is pounding and the light in here is too damn bright. “Lower the lights,” I hear a male voice say. When the lights are lowered my line of vision is able to focus but my ears are still ringing. I’m in a hospital room, with an IV connected to my arm.

“How do you feel?” Auburon says as his voice comes into the register.

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” I say as I try to sit up. I groan in pain from the movement. Auburon’s face pales at my joke. “What happened?”

“We were quite literally hit by a truck,” Dorian says. I didn’t even realize he and Layla standing there. Layla looks at me with sadness in her eyes. They’re all puffy and red. Dorian looks extremely tired but also on alert. My eyes meet Auburon’s once again and his eyes are pleading with me like he doesn’t want me to freak out. I scan the room one more time.

AELLA! KAYDEN!

“WHERE ARE AELLA AND KAYDEN?” I ask as I try to rip the IV out of my arm and move. Aub