Heartless

❆ Four ❆

Four

Voices wormed through the distorted warbling in my ears. Their words were mingled and harsh, tones varying from bland to curt. I swallowed and kept my eyes squeezed shut. It was hopeless to try and keep my body from tensing, but I stayed as still as possible as their conversation came into focus.

    "... high fever and nearly dead," one of them said, her tone high in worry. "You could have killed them."

    "Do not condescend me," snapped the other, his voice low and clipped in anger. "I know what I am doing." He sighed, and I pictured him pinching the bridge of his nose. I could feel his eyes burning holes into my face. My blood raced inside me with an unexpected thrill. "How long do you suppose it will take for her to wake?" My heart leapt into my throat.

    Silence followed his words. Then, "Soon. She'll wake when she's ready." Hands pulled the blanket closer up under my chin. My body sagged and sank deeper into the bed. I found it hard to stay awake. It'd been so long since I'd slept on a bed at all, much less one so soft. "I'll send if either of them wake. Go get some rest." After a moment of hesitation, his footsteps retreated. A door closed far off in the distance with a heavy thud. The woman stayed and ruffled the pillows behind my head, wrapped another blanket on top of me, and draped a cold cloth on my forehead. I barely held back the startled jerk of my head at the sensation. A few minutes passed of listening to her hum, and then her footsteps disappeared just as his did. A door closed.

    Cautiously, I peeked one eye open and glanced around. Stone walls and floors enclosed around me, several columns of sparkling marble sprouting up toward the high ceiling. A row of a dozen beds laid out on the other side of the room. More were lined up next to me. But they weren't empty.

    My heart leapt from my chest at the sight of Kenji's tawny brown hair. His pale face was solid as stone, his features relaxed. Blankets trapped him and tucked just under his chin. I bolted upright, instantly regretting the movement when pain shot through my side. I bit down on my lip and threw the blankets off of me. Swinging one leg over the edge at a time, I gaped at the large white bandage wrapped around my entire calf and ankle, another around the palm of my right hand. Tentatively, I put one bare foot on the floor, then the bandaged one. My vision blurred with the pain that throbbed inside my leg. I shifted my weight and hopped toward his bed, keeping my eyes on the door.

    I half fell, half threw myself onto his bed. His face crinkled in his sleep. "Kenji," I whispered hoarsely. "Kenji, wake up."

    His brow twitched, his mouth parting as he croaked, "Ada?" His eyes slowly fluttered open. "Where... where are we?" He sat up and grimaced, hissing. I winced at his pain as if it were my own. The blankets fell from his chest, exposing his bare torso and the white bandages around his midsection. My arms whipped out and pulled him against me, his hands circling my waist. "What happened?"

    I sniffled and swallowed the sobs rising in my throat. Pulling away, I blinked the tears from my eyes and shook my head. "The wolves," I explained. A shudder racked his body. I gripped his hand in my own and squeezed. "I saw them on top of you, Kenji. I thought you..." My throat constricted around the rest of the words I couldn't say. His hand tugged on mine and gave it a hard pump of reassurance.

    "Me too." His eyes switched to his side, widening. I followed his gaze. Hendric lay still on another bed, clammy and pale, sweat dripping down his temples. His hair slicked to his skin. We leapt off the bed and darted toward his. My foot hit the ground with a hard thud before I could catch it. A yelp burst from my lips. I steadied myself on the edge of his bed and sat down.

    "Hendric?" I swept the hair from his forehead. His skin was colder than ice. "Hen?" I pressed my fingers into his neck to feel for his pulse. It was there, but it was so weak and faint it might as well have been my own beating through my skin. I sighed in relief nonetheless. Kenji's hand rubbed between my shoulders.