Beneath the Veil of Shadows

Chapter 32

Sofia

A name Sapphire had buried deep within her, one she hadn't spoken aloud in what felt like an eternity. How many nights had she sat by her bedside, reading to her, watching over her unmoving form, hoping for a flicker, a twitch-anything to signal that Sofia was still in there, somewhere?

Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind whirled with questions. Would Sofia remember anything? Would she know who Sapphire was? Could she still be the same person she had once been? The thought sent a cold wave of anxiety crashing into her, but Sapphire forced it down, reminding herself to focus. Sofia was awake. That was the only thing that mattered now.

A flicker of recognition-or was it confusion?-passed over Sofia's face. Her lips parted slightly as if she were trying to speak, but no sound came. Sapphire stepped closer, her pulse racing, and reached out. Her hand trembled as it hovered over Sofia's frail, pale fingers resting on the bed.

"Sofia, it's me," Sapphire said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, a tremor of hope coloring her words. "Sapphire."

For the briefest moment, Sofia's eyes flicked upward to meet hers. There was a spark, something there-a glimmer of life. But it was faint, distant. The joy Sapphire had expected-the relief-it wasn't there. Instead, there was something darker, something unfamiliar lurking in Sofia's gaze.

Sofia's lips moved again, forming a word, barely audible, but it sent a shiver down Sapphire's spine.

"Who...?"

Sapphire froze. The word was like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from her lungs. She had anticipated this moment a thousand times in her mind, but nothing had prepared her for this. Sofia didn't recognize her. She didn't even know who Sapphire was.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away, trying to stay composed. "It is okay," she whispered, her voice trembling as she clutched Sofia's hand tighter, desperate to bridge the gap between them. "I am here. I have been here, taking care of you."

But Sofia's eyes, once vibrant and full of fire, were empty. There was no recognition, no relief, only confusion and something else-something that unsettled Sapphire deep in her bones.

Sofia's gaze drifted around the room, taking in her surroundings with a detached curiosity, as though she were seeing the world for the first time. Sapphire could see the fear in her eyes, the hollow look that told her more than words ever could. The woman she had once known was gone, replaced by someone who had been through something far worse than just five years of sleep.

"What... happened?" Sofia's voice was soft, hoarse from disuse, and it cracked as she forced the words out. But they weren't directed at Sapphire. They were spoken into the empty space around her, as if she was asking the universe for answers Sapphire couldn't give.

Sapphire swallowed hard, her throat tight. How could she explain the last five years? How could she explain the case-the secrets she had failed to unearth? How could she explain that she fought for Sofia, believed in her, even when the rest of the world had moved on?

Her mind raced, but all she could say was, "You were hurt... badly. You have been in a coma for five years."

Sofia's eyes widened, the weight of those words sinking in. Five years. How much of her life had slipped away while she was trapped in darkness? Her gaze snapped back to Sapphire, and for the first time, there was emotion-fear, raw and unfiltered.

"Five years?" Sofia croaked, her voice barely audible.

"Yes," Sapphire said, her voice gentle. "But it is going to be okay now, Sofia. You are awake. You are back."