SEASICK

66- Settled

An ache was the first thing Alana acknowledged, an irritating pain around her neck. She had yet to open her eyes; she focused only on the mysterious by soreness. Her mind was groggy, and her thoughts were barely stringing together. She only knew that her neck hurt, and she was lying on what felt like a cloud.

Around her, she heard mumbling, but it did not startle her. It was like the muffled conversations of a dream. The voices were going back and forth with each other, but in her haze, she couldn't decipher the exact words.

Why does my throat hurt? Am I sick again? Who... who is talking so much?

"—Ivo—"

The name was said in passing, but it was like an explosion in her mind. Everything rushing back to her in an instant. The terrifying demon, his warm hand clamped over her throat, the glowing green eyes being the last thing she saw.

Like a chain reaction as soon as her mind erupted with the memory her whole body went snapping upright as she took a sharp gasp for air.

Before she could process her surroundings, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder, ushering her back down, but she fought against it.

"No—" She began but was cut off.

"Alana!" Leopoldo calmly, but firmly, spoke over her protests. "Don't move so quickly, dear. You need rest."

His words were clear, but in her panic, she did not register a single syllable.

"Huh?"

Her throat protested even a sound, it felt as if sandpaper was lodged in her voice box. Alana moved away from his hand on instinct, causing pain in him she did not realize.

"I know you must be frightened, but please, do not push yourself." Leopoldo continued though his heart ached.

Again, his words were of little importance to her scattered brain, her eyes darted around the room. Leopoldo was in her main field of vision but just behind him stood Leven. The younger brother's arms were crossed, and his eyebrows cemented in a deep furrow. He looked angry but truly, he was just worried. Opposite of them, on the other side of the bed, sat Kazumi, he leaned forward anxiously in his seat as soon as Alana sprouted from the bed.

Moreover, Alana was noticed she was not in her room, the furnishing and artifacts decorating the much larger space proved that much. She recognized it as Kazumi's quarters.

One thing that was most abundantly clear was that one person was missing from their group of four. A face that the others were never without.

"Where's Ivo?" Alana immediately asked, her voice sounded dreadful.

It was croaky, raspy proof that they failed to protect her, and that weighed down on them like unimaginable shame.

"Don't worry about him, idiot." Leven snapped. "Just lay down."

Why is he telling me not to worry about him? What happened? Where is he?!

"No," Alana hoarse voice cracked. "Where is he?"

"Alana." Kazumi's silk-like voice, smoother than river stones, commanded all her attention to him.

His natural authoritative tone was enough to get her to at least not argue further, for that moment.

"We thought you were dead when we found you."

Alana's gaping mouth slowly clamped shut, and she cast her eyes down to the red quilt that covered her legs.