Page 76 of Unmasked Prophecy

I'm in the hospital.

The realization hits, and I gasp, the memories rushing back in a flood of images and sound. The compound, the cross, the knife—oh God, my father. I force myself to breathe, each inhale a struggle against the tightness in my chest. The memory of his life fading away is crushing, but not because I wish for it to be different. Instead, it’s almost a sick kind of relief I never knew I needed.

The nurse leaves, and I feel the world tilting, the edge of panic sharper now, more real. I hear the murmur of voices outside, and then the door swings open, a flurry of activity as more people come in. The doctor is there, his expression focused and concerned, his voice steady as he speaks to me.

"Nia, can you hear me?" he asks, leaning over, checking the monitors. "You're in the ICU. You've lost a lot of blood, but you're stable. Can you tell me what you remember?"

I swallow, my throat dry and raw. "I...I was stabbed," I whisper, the words barely audible. "My father—he—"

The doctor nods, his eyes meeting mine, reassuring and calm. "You're very lucky. The police found you just in time. We were able to repair the damage, but you'll need a lot of rest. You’re safe here.”

Safe.

The word feels foreign, unreal. I try to process it, to let it sink in, but all I can think about is the blood, the pain, the way my father looked as I—

I killed him.

My breath catches, a choked sound that brings the nurse back to my side, checking the IV, adjusting the wires. "You're okay," she says softly, her hand a light touch on my arm. "You're going to be okay. Just try and rest.”

I nod, but it feels like a lie. I can't shake the image from my mind, the way my father's body fell, the way my world went dark. I close my eyes, trying to block it out, trying to remember what came after. The roar of engines, the wail of sirens, Talon's voice—frantic, desperate.

He was there.

Was it real? Or was it one last trick of my mind, one last cruel twist before everything went black? I don't know.

“Talon,” I whisper. “Where is Talon?”

“We will make a call now, he has only just left. He has been by your side since you came in here,” the nurse smiles, “Between you and Lily, he hasn’t had any rest.”

“Lily?” I gasp, trying to sit up again.

“Hey now,” the nurse carefully pushes me back down. “Lily is in the hospital too, but she’s stable and doing well.”

“I need to see her,” I say again, trying to move.

“Nia, hey, I know you want to see her but you are in the ICU and unfortunately you can’t until you are more stable. I promise you she is okay, and as soon as possible, you can see her. I’ll go and call Talon now?”

I nod, tears burning beneath my eyelids.

She’s okay.

That’s all that matters.

The nurse leaves and I lay my head back, already exhausted from such a small amount of movement. My body hurts and a realization comes to me, causing me to jerk upright again. I press the nurse's button, over and over, until she comes running back in, her eyes wide.

“The baby,” I whisper, my bottom lip trembling.

The nurse swallows, and then walks over, sitting beside me and taking my hand. “I’m so sorry, unfortunately the baby didn’t make it.”

The words hang in the air. The room tilts and sways, and I am both inside my body and far beyond it, a million miles away. I feel the nurse’s hand squeeze mine. At first, there’s only shock, a numbness that spreads like ice, but then—then the hurt comes.

I wasn’t ready. The thought had terrified me when I found out I was pregnant. I was afraid of what it meant, what it would change, but now it’s gone, and a part of me I didn’t know existed is being torn open.

I lie back, helpless, the ceiling a white blur above me. I want to cry, to feel something besides this hollow ache and confusion, but the tears won’t come. “I didn’t know,” I whisper. “I didn’t know I wanted—” The sentence fractures, unfinished.

The nurse watches me with a gentle expression. “I’m so sorry. I know this is a lot to take in.” Her voice is calm, soothing. She waits a moment, then stands. “I’ll call Talon. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

Alone.

---