Lost Souls

Chapter 14

My return to consciousness was gradual. Waves of pain swept through my body, the worst of them causing me to crack open my eyes as I cried out. Mom was at my side before the sound even finished echoing, her face pale and tear-stained. Her hand trembled as she reached out and touched my cheek. "Drew," she breathed, her voice breaking. Dad swam beside her, a mix of worry and concern on his face.

Mom swam to the door, opened it a crack, and spoke to whoever was on the other side—Dr. Murphy, presumably. I didn't even try to make out their words. I leaned against the pillows and closed my eyes, breathing slowly and deeply. When I opened my eyes again, I winced as Jonah's eyes met mine from behind Dad. Concern and worry warred for control on his face, but quiet anger blazed in his eyes.

The door opened wider as Dr. Murphy swam inside. Concern shone in her eyes, contrasting with the frown on her face. She took a deep breath before speaking. "The doctors stitched up the wound in your back during surgery, but the recovery period is going to be extensive. I would advise you to stay in bed for at least a month before returning to your routine. The stitches should come out on their own, but keep an eye out for infection. Let me know if any problems arise."

She glanced at the four of us, obviously sensing the weighted tension in the room. Mom thanked her as she left. Jonah's voice was dangerously low when he spoke, sending guilt shooting through me. "What were you thinking? You, of all people, should know not to go out with an injury like that. You're lucky it wasn't worse." He didn't say anything else, but his unspoken words were clear.

Unbridled anger surged through me, overriding the pain as I pushed myself to a sitting position. My words were low and sharp when I spoke, rage and exhaustion fighting for control. "I was thinking I couldn't be in my room or the palace for one more second. I was thinking I couldn't handle the memories that swarmed me whenever I swam past your suite. I was thinking of how much I missed my sister and how my grief was eating me up inside. That, Jonah, is what I was thinking." I all but spat the word.

As my words echoed in the now-silent room, I saw more than felt the impact. Mom blinked rapidly to quell the tears forming in her eyes; Dad just stared at me, grief and sorrow warring for control of his expression. Jonah was the worst—the combined grief and pain in his eyes was too much to bear. His voice was rough when he spoke, the words thick. "I know you're hurting. We all are. But did you even stop for a second to think about what it would do to your parents if you died? They already lost Faye; I don't think they could survive losing you, too."

Mom swam to my side, placing a trembling hand on my arm. Unshed tears glimmered in her eyes, but she didn't say anything. A knock on the door made me break her gaze, but I didn't speak. Jonah glanced at the door and then back at me. "I got in touch with Ani." At my surprised look, he gave me a knowing one in return. "She cares about you. A lot. Think about that before you end up pushing her away." His voice was low, and venom laced his words.

Without another word, he left the room with Mom and Dad trailing him. When Ani stuck her head inside, the worry on her face sent a bolt of shame through me. Jonah's words from moments ago floated through my head, sending daggers of shame straight to my heart. "'Think about that before you end up pushing her away.'"

Swallowing hard, I met her gaze but didn't speak. When she did, her voice was quiet. "I haven't let myself care about anyone since my aunt died." She paused as if debating whether to continue. I gave her space, allowing her to decide if she wanted to. "My parents died of coral poisoning when I was five. We're originally from Aquireth, but we moved to Pelathas about five years ago.

"After they died, my aunt did all she could to take care of me. She ensured food was on the table, and I had somewhere warm to sleep every night. We never had much, but we made do with what we had. In the days, weeks, and months following her murder, it was all I could do to remember to eat. I didn't leave the house or speak to anyone. When the waitress position opened up at The Bronze Mermaid, I immediately applied."