Shatter Me Twice

XIII

RHEA
I blinked a few times, trying to clear the haze from my vision.

The first thing that hit me was the smell—warm, earthy incense, mingling with something floral, and almost spicy, like sage mixed with rose petals. The scent was comforting, and I inhaled deeply, my senses coming to life one by one.

As my eyes adjusted, I took in the room around me. It was unlike any place I had ever seen—bohemian and eclectic, with a desert charm. The walls were draped with colorful fabrics, vibrant abstract prints layered over one another, casting a kaleidoscope of patterns in the dim light. Beads hung like curtains in doorways, catching the faint glow of a yellow ceiling fan that whirred lazily overhead. The blades of the fan cut through the air with a rhythmic hum, and the yellow light seemed to pulse with every turn, casting a warm, golden glow that made the shadows dance on the walls.

I was covered with an old, patchwork blanket, frayed at the edges but soft against my skin. The weight of it felt oddly comforting, like an embrace from a time long forgotten. I pulled it away slowly and pushed myself up, feeling a slight ache in my muscles as if I had been asleep for days, maybe weeks. 

From somewhere to my right, I heard the soft, familiar sound of herbs being ground in a mortar and pestle, the rhythmic crunch of stone on stone. I turned my head toward the sound, blinking to focus, and saw a figure standing at a small wooden desk cluttered with books, jars, and dried plants. A lamp flickered beside them, casting a soft, amber glow over their hands as they worked, mixing something with careful precision.

The figure turned, and I saw her face. My heart skipped a beat. Odessa. Her hair was a mess of curls, a few strands falling into her eyes, but her expression was focused and calm. As soon as our eyes met, she rushed to my side, gently but firmly pressing me back down to the rug.

"No, no, lay back. You haven't rested enough yet," she said softly, one arm wrapping around my shoulders and the other resting against my knee.

I blinked again, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, trying to clear away the last remnants of sleep. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. But when I looked at her again, there was no mistaking it. Odessa. A warmth flooded my chest, and my eyes widened with a sudden joy.

"Odessa? You're here," I whispered, my voice raw and choked with emotion as I pulled her into a hug. It felt like a lifetime since I had seen her.

"Yes," she replied, smiling softly. "The Creator sent me to help you recover."

I let her guide me back down, my body sinking into the softness of the rug. This time, I didn't resist. I felt too weak, too tired, and somehow, seeing Odessa filled me with a comfort I hadn't felt in what seemed like forever.

"Your wings..." I mumbled, noticing for the first time that they weren't there, and I felt a pang of concern.

"Are not the bother of the day," Isabelle replied, her smile warm but her tone slightly cryptic. "You have a battle ahead of you, and you need to be strong if you will win."

She moved back to the desk, picking up a small vial filled with a dark liquid. "I have treated you and made some concotions for you to drink," she said, holding it up. "You should be well by the time you awake. But I must warn you, I have not restored to you anything that you lost, for there are some things that cannot be taken but only exchanged."

Her words echoed in my mind, soft at first, but then louder, reverberating against the walls of my consciousness. The exhaustion was pulling me back, deeper into sleep. Her voice became an echo, a distant call. I tried to fight it, but the heaviness grew stronger, and soon, I was slipping back into the darkness, her last words carrying me into oblivion.