Carfron's been very mellow since I've been doing what he wants. He's on the sofa with his back to me, minding his own business while I lie in bed, twirling his imaginary tile. I hope sleeping with it triggers a dream or something.
I rotate the plaque and study it from every angle. "Yep, rectangle," I mumble. "Flat. White. Cold. Bathroom tile. I don't get it. Should I go down and study the original? Would that be more useful?"
"That is the original," he answers without turning around.
"Well, that was helpful," I mumble, but Carfron doesn't understand sarcasm, so he smiles at me.
It's just a tile. Other than the dead guy who brought it to me, there's nothing interesting about it. I lie on my back and flip it around my fingers. My eyes grow heavy: sleep is just a short distance away.
I jump to my feet. I'm not breathing. I'm underwater. My lungs won't let any air in, and I can't push any air out. I run to Carfron, clutching him as if he could help me, but he just grins. Everything seems to be moving in slow motion. My heart is hammering in my ears. Why can't I breathe?
The ribbons are closer than Albína's door, but I'm woozy and not sure I'll make it to either. I stumble to the wall and pull all three ribbons as I slide to the floor. I roll to my side, trying desperately to drag air into my clogged lungs.
I hear Albína's door open. "Well, where are you?" she asks, making her way into the bathroom. I can't make any noise. I don't have the strength left to kick anything. Everything is turning grey, and white lights are sparkling in the corners of my vision. Sound stops, and the atmosphere grows heavy. Calmness envelopes me. I raise desperate eyes to Carfron, who's standing in front of me.
Searing pain like a lightning bolt shoots through my lungs, forcing a water-filled cough to gush from my mouth. A gurgling burning inhale follows along with more coughs and water.
Albína screams for help while sprinting to my side.
I'm choking. Water and lightning have clogged my lungs, and are burning me alive from the inside out. I look toward Albína but barely see her through the sparkly white lights. She's muttering something, but it's jumbled together.
I cough again then vomit a large amount of water. I inhale deeply. It burns. When I take a second breath, it burns less, and by the fifth breath, my body calms down.
Albína's petting my hair. She's shaking worse than I am.
"I'm sorry," I croak. I've damaged my vocal cords; speaking hurts.
She hugs my head and bursts into tears. "That's okay. You scared me. I'm happy you're alright."
The door flies open, and the room fills with military and medical personnel. The female elf in the front is talking quickly and forcibly removing Albína from me. They have a heated exchange, but then the military leave, and two medical elves step forward.
"Did I just drown?" I ask Carfron.
The two elves checking my vitals stop and stare at me and then at the empty space I'm talking to. They look at each other, and speak rapidly in Naga-Nuru.
"I'm fine," I croak. My voice is stronger, but it's far from normal. "I just want to sit here for a moment."
Jonah's shadow slides through the crack in the door frame and races across the wall. When he rises next to me, I almost lose an elf. She wobbles, but the other elf catches her.
Jonah ignores them as he kneels next to me. I put my hands up. "I'm fine now. I know what happened. I just need to lie down. If you wouldn't mind getting rid of these guys, I'd like to rest.
YOU ARE READING
The Lost Knight (Volume IV) The Lost Prince
FantasyWIP Would love some Beta Readers
