Black Holes - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 3

Chapter Nineteen

Zarah was still lying in bed two days after they'd rescued Leah and Jared.

Getting to that dark place had been a feat in itself, but walking into that chaos, fending those things off while silence pressed down on her with a pressure that crushed lungs, had been excruciating. Her every atom still shook with the effort of it.

She wasn't sure how she'd managed to drag Jared back to their world, or how Riley and Leah held those creatures at bay while she'd closed the portal behind them. But they'd done it. And it was only once they were safe, and Leah and Jared lay pale and exhausted on the floor, that she'd collapsed.

For the last two days, that'd been it.

The officers had found Zarah a room at the station, and she'd been left in relative peace, allowed to roll through the fever dreams and cramps that wracked her body alone. It felt as if she'd drained herself of something essential; something as important as water or food, and she didn't want anyone witnessing her recovery from it. At least, not anyone she didn't trust.

Leah had visited her once, sitting still and ghost-like by her bed, and gripping her hand with a pressure that cut circulation. Cassandra had come too. She hadn't been allowed to stay long, but it'd been nice just to see her, and the news she'd brought had made her visit even better.

Danny was awake. He was still weak, but he was conscious.

The news had made Zarah determined to rise. She wanted to see Danny herself, to confirm he was okay with her own eyes, but Cassandra had visited over twelve hours ago now, and Zarah still lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

She'd tried to get up several times, but every attempt sent her head spinning, her vision rolling in and out of focus. She was just contemplating another attempt, hoping the last hour she'd spent lying still might've fixed something, when a knock came at door, quick and sharp.

Before she had time to call out, it opened, and Riley strode into the room, her face a mask.

"You need to come with me," she said.

Zarah blinked at her, the words taking a moment to settle in her brain. "Why?"

"Jared's awake."

Riley's voice had a sense of finality in it, a call to action that meant Zarah's rest time was over, whether she was ready or not. So, Zarah moved quick, slipping her hands beside her hips and levering herself up, hoping to catch whatever kept her bedridden off guard.

It didn't work. Her arms shook, her torso tilted dangerously to the side, and she was seconds from toppling off the bed when Riley came over, helping balance her.

Zarah couldn't help but resent it — the stability of Riley's muscles, the strength in her body. Zarah wasn't a competitive person, but the difference between Riley's response to that world of darkness and hers was too glaring to ignore.

"I don't understand why I'm so weak while you seem completely fine," Zarah muttered as Riley helped plant her feet on the floor.

Zarah took two deep breaths, preparing, and then she launched herself up. Her legs quivered, her quads spasming, and Zarah tilted again. But Riley was there, straightening her and giving her a pillar to lean on.

"It's not your fault," Riley said, giving her a slightly guilty smile. "It's just because you did most of the work. I opened the portal, but you're the one who closed it."

Zarah blinked at her, trying to get Riley's face to settle. It kept shifting in and out of focus though, blurring like Zarah was twisting a camera lens.

"Why does that matter?" she asked.

Riley looked at her, considering.

"I've been thinking about the portals a lot lately," Riley said. "Everyone has, really, but I've been thinking more about what they actually mean, and why they happen."