Otherworldly Redemption [Book 7]

8

Waking up was like stumbling through a thick fog that clouded my mind. A pulsing ache took over my head, causing me to keep my eyes tightly closed, avoiding the light that shone behind my closed eyelids. My limbs wouldn't move, they didn't even feel like my own.

I tried listening for something, anything that would give me an impression of where I was but there was nothing but a soft humming. A light, almost ethereal sound that transcended the pain that was radiating in my head. It called me to wake up but my body wasn't ready, it demanded rest.

"How's he doing?" Jelani's voice cut through the humming. How long had I been here that Jelani knew what was going on? When did Marin snap out of whatever it was that drove him to practically suck me dry of my energy?

"He's doing alright but he hasn't woken up yet." Marin's voice was soft and vulnerable. "Jelani, what if I broke him?"

"You didn't. He's stronger than he looks Marin, even without his natural healing abilities." Jelani's words were meant to be comforting but it didn't even sound as if he believed it. 

"Then can't we take him out of here to heal?" Marin questioned.

"I'm afraid we can't. If we leave with him he'll heal instantly but we'll also lose him." Jelani's voice carried a melancholy tone that I wasn't sure how to interpret. It was more than a warden losing his prisoner. "Could you live with that?"

"But what if he dies! What if I took too much? I don't even remember what happened." Marin's sweet voice was panicked. "I relapsed and in the worse way possible." 

"He'll forgive you. It wasn't your fault." Jelani tried to reassure him but the resounding sniffling proved that he didn't believe him. He was right though, I did forgive him already, he wasn't himself when it happened and even I knew that. "It was partially my fault, knowing that the shift in our bond would affect you but I had no idea that it would affect you this much."

Silence fell over the room once more as I tried, and failed, to come back from this place I was in. It was weird how they were speaking about me, like they hadn't expected for me to be affected negatively by what was happening to me.

"Marin, my sweet pixie, have I been going about this the wrong way? I thought strong and forceful was the only way to break a god but he already seems broken and I don't want to push even harder and have him hate me." Jelani's question shocked me. Why was he trying to break me?

"I don't know but if he's already broken does that mean we can move to the better part of the rehabilitation?" He sighed. Broken? I didn't really think of myself as broken.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. When he awakes we'll start to build up his trust in us and the process. They should have informed me of his mental state before he arrived."

My mental state? I wasn't sure what that meant, I was perfectly fine. Sure there were moments when I was a little sadder than most but otherwise I was fine. It wasn't something that anyone should have to be informed of, not like anyone even knew me enough to know whether or not my emotions were negative.

It was weird not being able to communicate with them but hearing their entire conversation as if I was apart of it. A gentle hand touched the top of my head, before a slow petting commenced. It was comforting and as the humming continued I felt my body relax even more, enough that I was able to at least crack my eyes open. 

The room was illuminated with unnatural light, that had me closing my eyes as quickly as I opened. The groan that slipped past my lips called an abrupt stop to the soothing humming as I was jostled in Marin's lap.

"Horus?" Marin questioned in disbelief, shocked maybe that I had actually awaken.

"Ughhh..." Was all I could groan as I tried once more to open my eyes. Squinting I tried looking up at Marin and Jelani but only caught sight of Marin just as the lights began to dim. Turning my head slightly I was pleasantly surprised to see that Jelani actually cared.