Challenges In Anuzyn

12) Back to the present.

I opened my eyes, gagging and choking. My lungs still felt weighed down by the water. By they also felt heavy with something else... Matt.

The silver walls of my bed chamber at the Palace greeted my eyes. The thick coverlet failed to provide warmth to my freezing insides. 

"Matt, I'm sorry for leaving," I muttered as I hugged my knees.

Tears dripped down my cheeks, remembering those cute freckles. The fiery red hair and always blushing face burned a hole in my heart. I sobbed my heart out till I had no tears left.

He made my time on Earth worth it. Now, I knew what it feels like to be truly wanted. I'm happy. I've realized that this world is my home now. But so was he.

Fresh tears spring up at this thought, and I'm unable to hold them back. My Matt... 

"My lady..."

Not bothering to dry my tears, I looked up to meet cool grey eyes. Nico was staring at me with an odd expression. 

"Hey, Nico... What brings you here?" I said, my voice cracking a little.

I cleared my throat and opened my eyes wide. If I closed them even for a second, I would lose myself to the hysterics.

"My lady, you've been passed out for three weeks due to the Viper poison. I was just coming to check on you," he said smoothly.

Three weeks made sense. That was the exact time I spent back on Earth. This news added to the realness of all that happened.

"Oh...umm...thank you. Sorry for being a burden," I sighed sadly.

"Everyone else is planning on coming up here soon," Nico said.

They must have been so worried when I passed out. If they saw me like this, they would absolutely freak out. I did not have the emotional capacity to deal with anyone else's hysteria.

"I could delay them for a while if that is my ladies wish," Nico mumbled softly.

Oh gods! He was a life saver. I thanked him, and he quickly left the room. I needed to thank him a lot more. He met me the day I passed away, yet he took care of me all that while. He was a godsend!

I looked over my body, slowly looking for any scars. Anything that could link me back to all that happened on earth. Anything that could link me to Matt.

After ten minutes of searching and only finding the star shaped mark on my wrist, I burst into tears. I did not know where all the feelings were coming from. I thought I could handle my emotions.

I curled into a ball and let the sobs take over. If I let it all out now, then maybe I would feel better, right?

But what if I feel worse? What if I'm never able to forget him? Will I be able to save this world if I'm an emotional wreck?

"My lady! My lady, I want you to breathe. My lady, listen to me!" Nico was sitting in front of me on the ridiculously large bed.

I had been so lost that I had not noticed him come in. He was shaking me while yelling something at me. Is he asking me to breathe? Did I stop doing that?

"My lady, unless you stop at this moment, you will destroy the entire Palace," Nico ordered.

For some reason, my body stopped completely. I obeyed his command wholly. I slowly returned my breathing to normal as he gently stroked my back. I hadn't realized I was hyperventilating.

"Thank you so much, Nico," I said unevenly.

"It's okay. Do you feel like throwing up my lady?"

Now that he said it, I did feel like my insides were turning to mush. It was extremely odd that Nico knew before I did. Nevertheless, I was grateful when he helped me to the washroom and held my hair up while I puked.