The Death Kingdom

Chapter Fifteen

My triumph doesn't last long once the adrenaline starts to dissipate from my body. The dagger slips from my hands clattering onto the marble floor and my body follows suit. I collapse to my knees, my hand rising to the side of my head that got slammed into the wall. My stomach churns and I sink forward letting my other hand catch me before I face-plant into the floor.

"Saige!" Nena calls, the sound clanging around in my throbbing head.

"Shh," I try to tell her, but it's no use, Nena's too relieved to be calm right now.

"You—you did it! You were incredible I've never seen anything like it!" She reaches out for me to try and help me up, but instead, I crumble into her arms. "Oh, Saige," she says softer now, running a hand over my sweat and blood-soaked hair.

With Nena's help, I manage to make it to the couch. I lay down on my back even though my shoulder protests, but I can't figure out any better way to be. Everything aches, I've never known pain like this before. I just want to fall asleep and wake up feeling like nothing happened.

"Saige," Nena whispers now as she continues to push my messy hair out of my face. "I'm going to go get help."

I barely manage a nod in response. I feel her get up and then hesitate, hovering over me.

"You saved my life. Thank you, Saige, I'll never be able to thank you enough. I'll never be able to repay what you've done for me, but I will try."

I blink up at her, trying to clear through the haziness in my vision. "You don't need to repay me, Nena. You saved me too you know." I try to smile at her but I think it comes out as more of a grimace. "If you hadn't have thrown those glasses, we'd be chopped up and dead on the floor right now."

Nena frowns at the image and shakes her head. "Seriously Saige, thank you." Her voice wobbles at the end, tears slowly starting to cascade down her face. She squeezes my hand once and then she's gone.

I can hear her calling for medical help as I close my eyes, but I just need to rest for a second.

I open my eyes to find myself in a room I don't recognize. I'm in a comfy bed, with a window to my left letting in brilliant sunlight and a strange person I don't recognize standing over me.

"What—" I start to say but never get to finish.

"Don't worry, Saige," the man tells me. "You're in the infirmary. You've had some serious injuries, including severe trauma to your head, but with some rest, I'm confident you'll be as good as new. My name is Magee. I'm the nurse taking care of you."

"Nice to meet you," is what I think comes out of my mouth, but I'm so hazy the words might have completely blended together.

Magee lets out a light-hearted laugh. "You've been out of it for a little while, with periodic check-ins from me. You might feel a bit foggy for a while until the medicine wears off."

I try to choke out a thank you but I think it gets lost in my throat. I decide to rest my eyes for a little bit longer, my head still hurting the slightest bit.

When I finally wake up again, I notice two things. One, I feel tremendously better. And two, I think that's Nena standing in the corner by the window with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nena?" I mumble, slowly adjusting myself in the bed to sit up. I place a tentative hand to my head but find it feels much better already. I let out a long sigh of relief. I know I'm probably a long way from being one hundred percent, but this feels so much better than the last time I was fully awake right after the attack.