Chapter Eighteen
I woke up to the feeling of someone lightly shaking my shoulder.
I wanted to protest against the touch, refuse to open my eyes, but the shaking was insistent.
“Aria?” a voice called to me.
It was familiar and warm. It sounded like home.
I managed to open my eyes a bit, fighting against the bright artificial light that assaulted me as I did so. But after several seconds of adjusting, I managed to make out the face of my mother.
“Aria?” she called again.
“I‘m alive…?” I said, my throat dry and sore.
She quickly brought some water to my lips and I began to sip on it, enjoying the refreshing feeling that came with it.
“How are you feeling?” she asked as she began to look over my body, making several notes in a chart by the bed.
How was I feeling? I was sure I had died again. I was in the Abyss, I saw the memory. It was just like how i t had felt last time.
…So, how was I feeling?
I felt confused by the entire situation right now.
“I should be dead,” I replied.
She instantly turned to look at me, a little shocked by my blunt response.
“Don‘t say such an awful thing,” my mother said, her eyes full of concern. “You‘ve fully recovered, there‘s n o need to say something like that.”
Did this mean I was never in the Abyss? Had it just been a nightmare the entire time?
My mother looked like she wanted to say something else, but she was debating internally.
“You know…as a doctor, I‘m happy to see that you‘ve healed so well, but…as a mother, I want to scold you for stupidly running into danger like you did. What were you thinking, Aria?”
| already realised it was dumb the second I came face–to–face with the sandy wolf. She didn‘t really need t o scold me further. On the other hand though, if I hadn‘t been there then there was a good chance Cai would have died fighting off all four wolves, or Myra would have been killed.
life to him for saving me. I was sure I
the bleeding, not to mention how
I remembered then that
okay?”
of
after a day he was able to walk around again. I‘ve instructed for him to take it easy
was glad to hear he was going to be fine but I was confused
Chapter Eighteet
you say ‘day‘? How long have I
unconscious for three days now.”
believe it had been so long already. Time really was uncertain when inside
up with other explanations for it but I‘m at a loss. The entire
so serious that it would make the council become
“...What is it?”
body… It looks like you‘ve been
jaw could have hit the floor, then I‘m
is that possible? I haven‘t even been close to
sort of
that. I was way too young to be going around with a mate‘s marko n me. Not only that, but sure Aleric would have had a
have been marked on your back…
And, internally, I cringed.
own fate. She
my mother was telling me was true, then it would appear the Goddess had now marked me as her own. Any plans to run
you know what
a millennium and even then, the accounts were iffy at best. I learnt about it
My life was about to become infinitely more
know why you were
must have gone through finding this out. All the ranked members and elders would be pressuring my parents for information whilst trying to figure
either. I wanted things to be normal between us. I wanted her to care for me in the same way she
cheek and shrugged
the reaction but, thankfully, didn‘t push the topic
to urgently discuss the attack,” she said. “You‘ve physically healed fine, but I was worried about your mental state given the coma
thought about it for a few moments. Did I want to meet with him? Not
Chapter Eighteen
to do eventually. I felt completely fine other than the shock and stress that came from the recent
meet with him,” I
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