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When I come to,Nico’s sitting on the edge of the bed, holding my hand. I blink slowly, my throat feeling parched.
I lick my lips. “Can I have some water?”
Instantly, Nico hands me a glass of water with a straw, and I sip greedily, drinking about a fourth of it as he holds it up for me.
“Thank you,” I say, and Nico swallows, shaking his head.
“Are you all right?”he asks, and I blink again, looking down at myself. I try to flex the fingers of my left hand but I can’t. It’s like something’s blocking it, and when I try to move my arm, I cry out in pain.
“My shoulder—”
Nico winces. “I think it’s dislocated. I’m going to ask you to be brave for me,principessa. Can you do that? Can you be my brave girl?”
I nod, licking my lips again and bracing myself, but nothing could have braced me for the pain when Nico takes my hand firmly in his and yanks, popping my shoulder back into place. I scream and black spots fade in and out behind my eyelids, but I don’t pass out.
“Fuck,” I curse when I can breathe properly again, and Nico grips my fingers.
“Can you feel this?”
I nod, unable to speak, but the pain is much better. I can flex my fingers again, squeeze his hand.
“It’s better,” I croak, and Nico’s brows are drawn together, his green eyes searching my face.
“We’ll see a doctor,” he says quickly. “As soon as we can.”
I scratch at my face, realizing that there’s a bandage on my cheekbone. Everything comes flooding back to me.
The man, the closet, the way that Nico had saved me. I take in a deep breath, trying not to panic all over again.
“I’m okay,” I say finally, scratching at the bandage. “I’m alive,” I say, as if proving it to myself.
“You’re okay,” Nico says, but his voice isn’t quite steady. “I’m so sorry,principessa.”
Before I can answer, he lays his head in my lap and I slowly put my fingers into his hair.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Nico. You saved me.”
“I almost wasn’t here in time,” he says, his words muffled against the blanket he’s put over me. “I shouldn’t have left you here alone.”
“I’m okay,” I say softly, stroking his hair. “I’m alive because of you.”
Nico’s shoulders are shaking, and I’m shocked that he’s having such an emotional reaction. I can’t help but wonder if something else happened while he was away.
I comfort him as best as I can, and I can’t help feeling like maybe this has affected us both in ways we have yet to fully grasp.
14
NICO
Ionly let Aurora rest for a few moments after my breakdown, grabbing the two bug-out bags that I’ve stashed in the pantry in the kitchen.
There’s so much we’ll have to leave behind, but I don’t care.
I walk into the bedroom and Aurora has her eyes closed. The undersides of them look bruised.
“We have to go,principessa,” I say softly, and she sits up, swinging her legs off the bed. She gets up slowly, favoring her left arm. “Try not to move it,” I warn her, and I take our things to the car, planning to come back and carry her to the car. She follows me, though, putting herself in the passenger side with a wince when I open the door for her.
