Page 2 of The Magic of Eternity
“Welcome back, miss.”
I blinked slowly, and the room started coming into focus. A face materialized over mine, and I gasped, not expecting to see someone so close. The face moved back.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. I wasn’t sure if you were going to wake up,” he explained. “Here.” A straw met my lips, and I greedily gulped down the water he was offering.
“Where am I?” I asked, taking in the decently-sized room. A comforter and sheets were pulled up over my body. The large bed I was in felt like a cloud. My brow furrowed as I focused on the exposed stone walls and high-beamed ceilings. Familiarity niggled at my brain, and I was frustrated once again that my memory still seemed fucked up.
The side of the bed dipped, drawing my gaze back to the man who had given me water. He was wearing nursing scrubs, his curly blond hair reached his chin, and I noticed the navy blue glasses he was wearing very nearly matched his eye color. This man was probably around my age, maybe slightly younger.
“It’s normal not to remember much when you first wake up after being in a coma for so long,” he said softly, and my body jerked.
I cleared my throat. “Coma?”
He nodded. “For nearly a month now, miss. Do you remember your name or anything prior to this moment?”
Panicking, I sifted back through my mind.What’s the last thing I remember?“My name is Saige Wildes.” I knew that much.
“Correct. That’s good. I need to take some blood. Why don’t you think about what you remember while I do that?”
“What’s your name?” I asked, curious.
The man smiled kindly. “I’m your doctor. You can just call me Balor, if you wish. I’ve been with you the entire time, monitoring your vitals and watching you closely.” He tied an elastic band around my upper arm, and I closed my eyes as he poked my vein with a needle. What did I remember? “Don’t push yourself too much. You’ll likely be fairly exhausted for the next few days. There. All done.”
I glanced down at the crook of my elbow and saw a trail of red trickle from the small puncture wound. Air whooshed from my lungs. Fighting. Yelling. The glint of a blade. The roar of a panther. The crash of a chandelier. The pain.
“Okay, okay. Breathe, Saige. Deep breaths. In and out.” Balor encouraged me, but I couldn’t get myself under control.
Bloodstained hands. Asrael. My men. Khol. Laurie.Oh gods.
“Babies. Mine. My b–babies!” I wailed, fumbling with the blankets to see if I was still pregnant.Please, gods. Please, please. My hands shook as I threw the blankets off, and a sob nearly suffocated me as I looked down.
“You lost a lot of blood.” My eyes flew to Balor as he spoke softly, as if he were speaking to a cornered animal. “Hemorrhaged. Likely due to the stress of the situation you were in.”
Tears trekked down my cheeks continuously. I found my voice somehow, despite my throat feeling as though it was closing. “And they’re...” Fuck. I rolled onto my side and curled myself into a ball. Inhaling deeply, I tried again. “The babies? Are they—” I shook my head. I couldn’t get it out.
Balor smiled. “Miraculously, your babies are doing great. Everything looks perfect, Saige.”
I knew I wasn’t safe. We weren’t safe. I couldn’t bring myself to ask aboutthem. Exhaustion was swarming me now and I couldn’t fight it. My eyelids were so heavy.
A rhythmic thwacking sound began and with each clap of noise, it was harder and harder to keep my eyes open. I watched Balor get up and rush to the window. He cursed and slammed the window closed, pulling the curtains a moment later. I didn’t miss the grim look on his face, but I didn’t have the energy to ask what was happening outside.
The next timeI opened my eyes, the room was dark. Night had fallen while I’d slept, and I felt pressure on my bladder. Not seeing anyone, I pushed myself up, dangling my legs over the side of the bed. I hadn’t been up in a long time, and I hoped I didn’t fall trying to find a bathroom. How had I peed and stuff while I was unconscious? Ugh, they’d probably put a catheter in me.
Inhaling deeply, I pushed myself off the bed, making sure to keep one hand in contact with the mattress just in case. My head swam. From exertion or just being upright after so long... I wasn’t sure.Gods, I really have to pee.A sharp jab shot through my crotch and I winced.What the hell was that?Another jab and I felt a trickle of warmth run down my thighs.Oh shit.I shuffled to the door in the corner, sighing in relief when I found a nice bathroom.
Had my water broken? Or had I just pissed myself? The babies seemed to be really active, and I cupped my large belly as I took possibly the longest pee of my life.I think I peed myself. My unborn child just Chuck Norris’d my bladder so hard I pissed myself.I snorted as I wiped.I bet that was Sloane’s kid. I’d put money on it.
Suddenly it was hard to get air into my lungs, like something was lodged in my throat, cutting off my ability to live.Where are my men?Visions of the last time I saw them flashed in my head and I pressed a hand over my mouth to cover my sobs.I don’t even know if they’re alive.
The bathroom door handle turned, and I hastily stood, letting my nightgown fall to my knees as the door opened.
“Hello, daughter.”
I spun just in time to get most of my vomit into the toilet.
She laughed without humor. More of a sinister chuckle. “I heard you were awake and had to come see for myself. How are my babies doing?”
Leaning against the wall on shaky legs, I slid down as sweat built on my brow. “Fuck. You,” I hissed. Laurie moved through the bathroom, tinkering with things on the counter like she didn’t have a care in the world. I could see her face in the mirror.How did she end up like this?It didn’t make any sense. But I found that I really didn’t give a shit. Not anymore.
