I jolt my attention to my upper arm and the most concerning question comes into play. Why does this one area blaze in pain enough to dull every other sense? A little blood seeps through the secured white bandage. “What happened?”
“It’s going to be okay. As long as you’re awake it’s going to be okay.”
“No, how did I get—” This is when I take in my surroundings. I’mfamiliar with the plain hospital rooms in Forsen. But I’ve always been spectator to Shelly’s treatments and stays here. I was always hovering over her. Never in bed. Never in stabbing pain.
James makes sure I’m not about to jump to my feet. “All you need to do is rest.”
A flash of panic resurfaces and a part of me wants to push it down, push down what I know to be true. “Shouldn’t I be dead?” I whisper.
“I pulled you out of the water,” James answers firmly as if he doesn’t even like me referencing death.
“But Nity…” Now that I concentrate the memories flood in. A suffocating flood.
Nity. A spear. Blood.
“No, please no,” I beg. My body seems to spasm, wanting to cave in and protect itself from this one truth.Nity is gone.
James’s eyes fill with tears. “I’m so sorry, Farren. I’m so sorry.”
I don’t know who moves first, but I’m clutching James and he’s hugging me back. “Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?” I cry into his shoulder.
“She was gone, Farren. A spear hit her chest. She didn’t come up for air.”
It feels like my heart has been ripped out. Pain so blinding, so hot. All my other senses numb trying to figure out how to stop this hurt. But there is no stopping it. I feel hollowed out, blown open.
“The hatchlings?” I choke out, latching on to my only hope, that her young remain alive.
“They’re safe,” James reassures. “The scalers couldn’t find them in the tunnels just as we planned. I don’t think they even searched for them after… after Nity. Shelly and Jeffrey are at the sanctuary not taking their eyes off them. They are going to be so happy you’re okay.”
“Why… why would the poachersnotsearch for them?” I whisper out my uncertainty.
At my question misery takes over his face. With Nity gone why not go for her babies? Zilar. Electrum. Their scales are noticeably coated in gold. But then I understand. There’s gold somewhere else as well and easier to steal. I all but dropped it before them at the entrance getting us out.
“The cave.” My voice is brittle. “We have to get to the cave!”
He holds me. “No, we don’t. They took it all.”
Tears stream down my face, angry harsh lines. “All?”
James squeezes his eyes closed. “Yes, but for now we just need to get everyone better.”
I freeze. “What do you meaneveryone?”
“Farren. I’m so sorry.” James’s voice sounds like it’s going to crack open. “There’s something else you need to know.”
It takes longer than it should to absorb the information. Especially for someone who was already warned. That scaler wasn’t trying to goad me. He told the truth. Their attack was systematic. They weren’t going to let anything stop them from kidnapping Nity.
My father was attacked, stabbed in the stomach. He got out of surgery a few hours before I woke up.
“The doctors say everything is looking promising,” James reassures again. “They think he’ll live. Your mom is with him now and—”
At that moment Mom bursts into the room. “Farren? She’s awake?”
“Mom,” I cry out.
She throws herself on me, a cushion of warmth while she trembles with worry. “Thank goodness.” When she’s done crushing me, she cradles my face in her hands. “My brave, brave girl. Thank god.”
There’s a large cut on her forehead. Circles under her eye that may be bruises they’re so dark. Then real, blooming bruises on her arms. “Mom?”