A young doctor unexpectedly finds herself forced to indoctrinate into a paramilitary organization, where a stoic hero silently falls in love. Slowly, he earns her trust. The love between them burns away the darkness of the past and acts as a beacon...
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I was wrong.
Sleep and hydration fixed nothing.
I slept through the entire day and night. Illness had hit me like a sledgehammer while I slept.
The pounding in my head, heaviness in my limbs, and aches in my muscles intensified tenfold. It was impossible to discern how much of the pain was from being sick and how much of it was from the stress of training on the mountain this week. Regardless, it hurt. Everything hurt; drawing air in my lungs, anything cool touching my skin, and focusing my eyes on anything for too long.
My warm body was wracked with shivers and goosebumps.
I groaned, snuggling deeper into my blankets, wishing for sleep to take me back into the abyss. Instead of sleep, I dozed in and out of twilight, infiltrated by weird dreams inspired by my anxieties.
The sun choked behind dark gray clouds, and my consciousness slowly climbed to the forefront of my brain.
"Mhm." The pathetic noise left my throat as I pushed myself into a sitting position, immediately cradling my head.
My only saving grace was the rest cycle and guaranteed solitude. No doubt, Aldric and Arthur had already left for their home. Solan... I don't know. I'm sure Solan went wherever it is Solan goes.
I wish he was here.
The thought startled me, and I shoved it away vehemently. It's dangerous to need people.
I resisted the urge to curl back into a ball and slowly forced myself off the bed. Every muscle throbbed with pain, my ankle especially. The cool stone beneath my feet jarred my body. I dug into the bag under my bed and put on another pair of wool socks.
I can do this. I hyped myself up, grabbing one of the blankets from my bed to wrap around myself. I meandered to the kettle, fixing the small flame with difficulty. Proud of my hard work, I dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, ready for another nap.
A soft knock sounded at my door.
My eyes furrowed. I hoisted myself up and opened the door.
Solan.
His eyebrows darted up at the sight of me. "You're sick." He said in surprise, dressed in his typical attire, hands clasped lightly behind his back.
"I'm fine," I said. Much to my dismay, my voice was as weak as I felt.
Solan nodded in feigned agreement. "Put shoes on." He instructed.
Dreaded fanned through me at the thought of doing whatever Solan was retrieving me for. I literally can't see straight. Besides, this is a three-day rest cycle. "Can it wait until tomorrow?" I questioned.
"Ryn, I'm not leaving you like this. We're going to 5 Alpha. You'll be more comfortable there." He said, peering around my empty room.
Despite the months that have passed, I've still refused to unpack, Wes's threat forever in the back of my mind. All this could be taken away at any moment. It's foolish to get attached to this place... or the people that live here.
