By the time Briony finally made it back to the studio, dawn was already breaking. Utterly exhausted, she changed into pajamas and collapsed into bed, falling
asleep almost instantly.
She had no idea how long she'd been out when a frantic knocking at the door jolted her awake.
Her eyes flew open and she stared at the familiar ceiling, breath coming quick and shallow. It took her a moment to gather her wits.
She'd been dreaming.
In the dream, she was standing above a river of blood, so vivid it made her shudder. Somewhere in the distance, an infant's cries echoed in her ears...
From outside the room, Hannah's voice rang out. "Briony? Are you awake?"
Her lashes fluttered. Briony pushed herself up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
The room spun as she stood, her body heavy and unsteady.
"Briony? Briony..." Hannah's voice grew more anxious.
"I'm coming," Briony croaked, forcing herself upright and shuffling to the door.
door swung open,
scared me half to death. It's ten o'clock and
had happened
not a creature of habit; she
though, she clearly
rasped, her voice
her a once-over. "You don't look fine. Are
lifted a hand to her forehead. It did feel a little
few
placing a hand on Briony's forehead. "You've got a fever! You need to see
grimaced. "It's too much trouble. I'll just take something for the fever and sleep it
don't want to go to
just need some more
stand, Briony retreated
in, clearly unconvinced. "There's a nasty
year. Have finance pay everyone's salary in advance— cover
blinked in shock.
those numbers, the total payout
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