Page 65 of Within the Flames
Seventeen
Her eyes fluttered as she tried to open them, the ache almost too much to bear. Her whole body felt weakened, like she'd never be able to move again no matter what she did. Macey groaned and tried to move on to her side only to be stopped by two firm hands on her shoulders pushing her back.
"Not yet," a soothing voice said.
Whose though? She couldn't work it out through the haze in her mind. It was almost as if she'd gone out the night before and emptied the bar of booze. That couldn't be right though, she hadn't drunk in years. Not since she'd come back to find her brothers...
She choked at the memory.
"Quick! Bring a bowl!" the voice yelled.
She wasn't sure what was happening around her but strong soothing hands touched her. She felt safe even with the confusion crashing through her.
Dry heaving left her mouth and throat sore but she didn't have time to care about that. There were other things making their way to the front of her mind and trying to break forth.
Warmth flooded through her as someone new touched her. She didn't care who it was at this point, so long as it was someone offering her help.
She leaned back, her eyes now cracked open. Flint held her steady, her other men just behind him, worried looks in all their eyes. And Luc. He was stood at the end of the bed, an odd expression on his face. His stance relaxed in front of her as he took in that she was indeed breathing and awake.
"What happened?" she croaked.
"We were hoping you can tell us that." Flint pushed a spare strand of hair behind her ear.
"Here." Jared passed her a cup of water complete with straw.
"Thanks," she croaked.
The water was a boon she hadn't anticipated and the sweet taste of it on her tongue did wonders for perking her back up again. All she needed now was a chance to brush her teeth and she'd feel much better.
"I was in the castle with Luc and then there was..." She frowned, trying to recall what had happened but coming up blank. It was like the memory was there but it was too hazy to pull anything out of. "Then I woke up here," she finished instead.
A conflicted look flitted over the daimon's features but she didn't ask. For some reason it felt like the less she knew, the better.
The men exchanged glances but she didn't have the energy to ask them questions about it. Instead, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. Flashes flew through her mind as she tried to make sense of events but it didn't help.
* * *
Strength had returned to her, or at least it had a little. Enough to be able to shower and brush her teeth after she'd woken up. According to Flint, it had been another three days, though it didn't feel like it to Macey.
Sucking in a deep breath,she stepped out of the bathroom and slunk back over to the bed, conscious of five sets of eyes on her.
"I need answers," she announced, sitting down on the bed and crossing her legs. She'd had time to think in the shower and had come up with the most burning mysteries.
"We still don't know what happened," Jared replied.
"I know. I have other questions."
He nodded and waited for her to speak.
"Izban?" she started. His well being was the top of her list for questions she needed answering.
"He's fine," Luc answered before the rest of them could. "He's been fine the entire time. The Mahoun never actually got hold of him."
"Oh."
"He was just feeding on your fear that you'd sent him to his death," he added.
She nodded, remembering who the Mahoun was but not how she'd learned the information. "He isn't mad at me, is he?"
