Page 104 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse
Stop!I wanted to scream, but I was paralyzed. God, did this mean that the spell would fail? That I would end up blind?!
My hands curled around the arms of the chair, nails digging in. The scream that had lodged in my throat finally broke free as the pain mounted and mounted.
“What is wrong?” Grant hissed.
Preston didn’t answer but continued pouring his magic into my eyes until I saw nothing but a red spider web, crackling and glowing like lightning.
“Shouldn’t you stop?” The director pressed, but Preston still offered no answer.
I don’t know how long the procedure lasted. Time lost its meaning, and all I could sense was pain. Then, the crimson veil that had fallen over my eyes turned black, and I knew no more.
35
Someonewasholdingmyhand. Warm lips pressed against the top of my knuckles, conferring small kisses between hot bursts of breath. Slowly, I opened my eyes. The room was dark, not even Jenna’s night light was on. Or maybe—
My breath caught as I remembered.
“She’s awake,” Grant’s voice.
Whoever was holding my hand let go. The sound of steps followed. A door shut. Someone was leaving.
“Hello, Lucia.” This was Preston. “I’m going to check your eyes.”
I felt a hand fall to my forehead, and then one of my eyelids was pulled back.
“Is it nighttime?” I asked, my heart booming in my chest.
“No,” Preston said gently. “You know it can sometimes take a few minutes for your sight to return.”
I knew that. I’d read about it too. I also knew that it could take several days for Truesight to work. Or not.
“I’m going to be all right?” I said, but it came out as a question even though I didn’t intend it that way.
“You will,” Preston said, but I thought I detected a hint of doubt in his voice.
I swallowed. “Who was just here?”
It took a moment for Grant to answer. “Drevan.”
“At the league?”
“Yes, you’re in the infirmary. I allowed him.”
“You promised not to tell him,” I reproached him.
Grant shrugged. “He found out all the same.”
His spies, whoever they were.
Once more, he’d let Drevan… possess him? For me, just so Drevan could see me? I tightened my hand into a fist. The warmth that Drevan’s breath had left on it lingered. Why had he left as soon as I woke up?
Because he doesn’t want you to see his true form,the voice of reason echoed in my head.
But for all we knew, it hadn’t worked. For all we knew, I was blind.
Just as the thought took hold and desperation bubbled in my chest like a sickness, the darkness that covered my eyes began to pull away. I blinked repeatedly, urging the shadows to leave and the colors to regain their vibrancy. Slowly, my vision returned to normal, and I was smiling and crying like an idiot.
Director Grant seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, while Preston glanced at him as if sayingI told you it would be all right.
