DESCENDED

HAUNTED

I'm out for two days before I open my eyes again. But I'm no longer in my room. There are beds lined up on my right, my left, and across from me in a single row. And there are bright lights hanging from the ceiling. It's the beeping of a machine and the fact that I can' move my arms that alarms me, though.

"You're awake," Amariah comes into view.

She waves someone over and they examine both my eyes, holding them open and shining a bright light into them.

"Hello Angelique, my name is Jasper. I'm the resident doctor here at the Louisiana Girl's Home. Do you know why you're here?"

"No," I croaked. My voice straining from lack of use. "What happened?"

"You were poisoned," he tells me.

"What?" I sit up as alarm rocks through me. "How?"

"My guess is you ingested it."

"Like food poisoning?"

"No. Like someone deliberately tried to kill you poisoning."

"Who?" I frown. "The only people I was with were Samuel and Sebastian. They wouldn't do this to me."

"You and Samuel have gotten pretty close lately," Amariah subtly pries.

"I guess. I mean, yeah... we're cool. Why?"

"Because I'm told he has a thing for you, and everyone knows you have a thing for Sebastian. Maybe he resents that."

"What? No."

"Angelique, Sebastian has always gotten what Samuel wants," she confides. "And there's a long-lasting rivalry between the two. I fear you may have gotten caught in the crossfire."

"Are you saying you think Sam did this to me?"

"I'm saying its possible. And erring on the side of caution, he's been removed as your handler."

Wow.

I don't know what to say.

"The worst part is past you," Dr. Jasper smiles. "It's a good thing Sebastian got you here when he did."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Well, seeing how you're back in good health, why don't you get dressed and Amariah will take you to him. He's been by your side every day since it happened."

Every day?

"How many days are we talking?"

"You've been down for two weeks," Amariah confides.

Two weeks!?

Sitting my belongings on the bed, Dr. Jasper leaves and I get dressed. Amariah calls him into the room when I'm done, and he hands me a list of instructions and a bottle of medication to keep taking until the poison has worked its way out of my system.

She helps me to my feet, and I'm shaky a first. But after a few steps, I manage to stand on my own. But instead of heading to the cafeteria for food, she takes me back to my room.

"Can I ask you something about Sebastian?" I ask her.

"As hard as he is to forget, you need to focus on yourself, and less on him," she encourages. "My brother is a tough nut to crack. He'll drive you insane if you let him."

Movement behind Amariah captures my attention and I look past her.

Speaking of the devil