Page 57 of House of Pawns
“Enough!” a voice bellows and suddenly I’m released, and just before I collapse to the floor, strong arms catch me. I hear Samuel crash back into the wall. “Learn your lesson well and remember what this woman is willing to do for you. For all of you.”
My eyes flutter, attempting to clear the haze from them. I faintly make out Rath’s angry face. And feel him begin to climb the steps. “Someone call Nial. She’s lost a lot of blood.”
I feel heavier and heavier. Heavy as the moon. Surely I will sink straight through the middle of the Earth. That is if I don’t float away into nothingness.
I’m so tired.
So.
Tired.
Chapter
Twenty-One
THE FIRST FACE I SEE when my eyes flutter open is Rath’s.
He’s sitting in a chair beside my bed. His forearms are resting on his knees and he spins the ring with the Conrath crest on his finger. His lips are pursed together, concern and maybe anger heavily present there.
A quiet beeping sound draws my attention and at the head of the bed, I notice a monitor and bags with tubes extending from it into my hand.
“You’re awake,” Rath states as I rip the needles out of the back of my hand. Slowly, I sit up, and Rath must know better than to fight me because he simply slips a pillow behind my back to help me up. “Easy.”
My head swims and the room tilts just slightly. I go to rub my eyes when I notice the blood on the back of my hand, caused from my not so gentle removal of the tubes leading into me.
“Not how I recommend removing them,” Nial says. I lookto see him pulling something from the drawer of a medical cart that’s magically appeared in my room. He turns toward me and crosses to my bedside. I notice Samuel in the corner, looking miserable.
Nial places gauze on the back of my hand and tapes it to my skin. “You lost a lot of blood.”
“How long was I out for?” I ask as my body gets its bearings. I feel better with every second.
“About six hours,” Rath responds. I look over at him, and realize he won’t look me in the eye. And that makes my stomach feel sick.
“Are you alright, Samuel?” I ask as I tilt my head just slightly and offer him a small smile.
His face is stark white and he looks sick, too. But he nods his head, just a small thing. “I’m so sorry. I swear, it will never, ever happen again.”
I smile at him again. “I know it won’t. You’re forgiven.”
Something seems to lift from his chest and he stands just a little straighter.
“Is she awake?”
The hesitant, sweet voice from my doorway draws my eye. The owner of it stays just out of view, but I recognize it.
“Elle?” I ask, confusion taking over.
She steps into my bedroom, her eyes scared and unsure looking. They dart from Nial to Rath to Samuel and then back to mine. “Hi, Alivia.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I sit up a little straighter in the bed. “Boys, I’m fine. Can we have a little privacy?”
Without a word, all three of them clear out of the room,closing the door behind them. Elle watches them go, but she looks only slightly less nervous when she looks back at me.
I pat the bed beside me and she crosses to sit stiffly on the edge of it.
“Ian doesn’t know you’re here, does he?” I ask, even though it’s more of a statement.
Elle shakes her head. “I should be at school. I’m guessing he’s sleeping right now. Or at least, trying to sleep. He had a long night.”
