River’s entire body stiffened. His head snapped toward her, too fast. Pain exploded across his face and neck; he hissed through clenched teeth, eyes squeezing shut for a second as the world tilted.“Zoe?” The name came out as a hoarse exclamation, alarm, disbelief, and something dangerously close to hope all tangled together. “Zoe is here?”At that point Zoe shuffled forward, slow, careful steps on the filthy straw, and went down on one knee in front of him. She reached out and took his good hand in both of hers, her grip warm, steady, grounding.“Shh,” she whispered, voice low and soothing. “It’s me. Easy, River. Breathe.”Her eyes swept across his body once, taking in the gashes, the bruises, the swollen face, the arm cradled awkwardly against his ribs. Something flickered across her expression, shock, anger, a flash of genuine pain, before she schooled it back into calm.River stared at her through the narrow slits of his blackened eyes. His breathing came faster, ragged. “You… you
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