Crimson Kisses | ENGLOT

Chapter 11: Bloodshed

Eliza cracked open an eyelid, greeted by the sterile white ceiling of the infirmary. Her head throbbed like a drum solo, and her muscles screamed in protest. She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, forcing her back down.

"Easy there, warrior princess," a soothing voice murmured.

Eliza turned her head to see Calliope perched on the edge of the bed, her face etched with concern. "Cal?" she rasped, her throat dry as sandpaper. "What happened?"

Calliope replies, taking Eliza's hand. "You collapsed after our talk with Lsen. You've been asleep for 2 days love."

Eliza frowned, trying to piece together the fragmented events. "I did? Why?"

Calliope brushed a strand of hair from Eliza's face and shrugged, "Maybe you were too exhausted, your body couldn't take it."

Eliza nodded, intertwining her fingers with Calliope, "Yeah, must've forgotten I'm human huh?" She joked, making Calliope chuckle softly.

"I'm glad you're okay." Calliope whispered softly, "but you shouldn't have done that."

Eliza's brow furrowed, "what? What do you mean?"

Calliope sighed, "you could've gotten hurt, all of you. It was the wrong call."

"You were captured Cal! Did you expect me to just sit around and do nothing?" Eliza scoffed, "of course we had to save you."

Eliza's defiance hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to Calliope's concerned frown. The silence stretched, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of the machines.

"It wasn't that simple," Calliope countered, her voice low and firm. "We had a plan, Eliza. Maeve and I, you didn't have to go and do something stupid."

The tension in the air crackled. Eliza's frustration bubbled over. "It wasn't stupid, Cal! It was the only way! You were in danger, and I couldn't just-"

"And what? Risk your life on a whim?" Calliope interrupted, her voice sharp with worry. "Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? What if you hadn't managed to control it? What if you'd hurt yourself, or worse?"

Eliza's anger deflated, replaced by a pang of guilt. "I... I didn't think about it like that. I just..."

"You just reacted," Calliope finished, her voice softening but still laced with concern. "But Eliza, there's a difference between bravery and recklessness. You can't just throw yourself into danger without a plan."

Eliza's chest tightened. "A plan? We didn't have time for a plan! You were about to be killed!"

"And what good would it be if you were killed too?" Calliope shot back, her voice rising. "You could have died, Eliza! Do you have any idea what that would do to me?"

Eliza flinched at the raw pain in Calliope's voice. She knew the fear that gripped her mate, the fear she herself felt, but she couldn't help but bristle at the accusation of recklessness. "I did what I had to do," she said, her voice hardening. "And it worked, didn't it?"

"At what cost?" Calliope countered, her voice trembling slightly. "You're drained, exhausted. Do you think you'll be any use in the fight to come if you're barely standing?"

Eliza opened her mouth to retort, but the words died on her tongue. Calliope was right. Her actions, while driven by love and a desire to protect, had been impulsive, fueled by adrenaline rather than reason. The guilt gnawed at her, mixing with the frustration of Calliope's perceived blame.

Just then, the door creaked open and Phaedra peeked in, her eyes widening at the sight of them. "Sorry to interrupt but Calliope? I need to talk to you."