Bloodied Lilies

Chapter 15

In a blur of scenery, Adelia found herself standing in a field of full bloom lilies, white as snow. There were wispy clouds in the open blue sky. Andrea was there too, her straw-yellow hair a shade brighter than Adelia remembered. She was holding onto her hand, smiling softly. She looked healthier than Adelia had ever seen her, a glow to her cheeks and colour in her lips.

"Come on," Andrea said, tugging at her to follow. "Let's go."

She pointed to a little river with a ivory bridge. "It's just past there."

Adelia nodded and followed. She felt like she was walking through water. Everything was languid and slow, even the way the lilies swayed in the breeze.

Far away, another familiar voice said, "You can't leave. Not yet. You're not allowed to go until I say."

The voice was smooth and thick; the consistency of honey. It was enchanting. Adelia couldn't help but feel like she should obey.

There were cold fingers against her fevered cheek. It felt distant, like it was happening somewhere else, in a different dimension. In a different world.

Suddenly an intense pain flared up in her side and she folded in on herself, desperately clutching at abdomen. Andrea's hand was gone from her arm and the lily field washed away into a sea of black.

In the distance, she heard his voice again. She couldn't make out the words but the tone was uncharacteristically gentle. Her consciousness drifted away.

~

When Adelia opened her eyes, she saw the blurry shadow of a figure leaning over her. The room was dark but she heard the crackle of a fireplace and she recognised the softness of the mattress underneath as the one in her room. Her body was in pain but it was muffled.

Painkillers, she thought distantly. Her next thought was, I'm still alive...?

The sleepiness was strong in her blood. It begged her to come back into the land of dreams but the figure beside her began to speak.

"Adelia? You're awake." She felt a hand caress her hair. The touch alone sent her senses screaming 'danger!' but she was too sluggish to move. Her vision was still blurry.

"We have much to discuss," the figure continued. She recognised the voice but her mind was too addled to try and figure out who it was. Pit-viper, her brain supplied instead of anything coherent. "Your penchant for killing assassins is a subject we must talk about in detail. But for now, you must rest."

When it appeared that the figured would say no more, Adelia closed her eyes and let herself drift away again.

~

The second time she awoke, her vision had cleared and the pain sharpened due to her awareness. Her whole back stung but it was drowned out by the howling throb in her stomach. Adelia winced, blinking tears away from her eyes.

The room was brighter now, with the curtains drawn back. It was afternoon.

"Here," someone said and a glass was brought to her lips.

Adelia drank, finding she was actually very thirsty but it turned out that the glass did not hold water. It was syrupy concoction that was sweet but not the kind that tasted nice. Medicine.

When the glass was taken away, she looked to see who was holding it. She almost jumped to find Duke Rainford, sitting casually beside her, coat removed and the top button of his collar undone. The surprise must've shown on her face because he smiled at her in that slightly condescending way butthere was something else in his eyes. Something like concern.