Page 45 of Theirs to Ruin

Then I consoled my mother and brother as they fell apart.

Chapter 19

Camille

Where was I?

An unforgiving brightness seeped through my closed eyelids. It felt like I was emerging from the depths of a deep ocean, each sound muffled and distorted. My head pounded, my body ached, and my throat felt like I’d swallowed glass. I felt trapped in my own body, my limbs weighed down and unyielding.

Panic surged through me as I tried to move, to scream, but nothing happened.

Then I heard voices. Fragments of conversation.

"...all indications are that she'll be fine. She just needs some time before she wakes.” The voice speaking was cold, detached and clinical. Each syllable seemed to float in the air, weaving together yet remaining frustratingly disjointed.

"That's not good enough!"

That was Bianca’s voice.

Relief washed over me, knowing she was there with me.

“It’s been almost twenty-four fucking hours! Why aren’t you doing more?”

“She’s healing. It’s why we could remove her breathing tube today. Her body needs to rest,” the first voice explained. “I’m sorry I don’t have more definitive news. I have other patients to see, but I’ll return later tonight.”

I heard footsteps.

“Yeah? Try to bring someone who can give me some answers!” Bianca yelled.

Beneath the sheets, I tried to summon the strength to move my fingers. To give some sign that I was coming around. It seemed like eons passed before, with monumental effort, I opened my eyes, the act feeling as strenuous as lifting boulders.

There she was. My sister. Her usually radiant face was a canvas of worry and exhaustion. She looked worse than I felt.

“Bianca…” I croaked.

"Oh my god, you’re awake!” Bianca’s fingers intertwined with mine, their warmth seeping into my cold skin. "I was so fucking worried!" Her voice was filled with both relief and tears. “Just try and relax.” She ran to the door and flung it open. “Nurse! Call the doctor. She’s awake.”

A flood of emotions crashed over me as she returned to my side and clutched my hand. Gratitude that Bianca was there with me. Guilt for having put her through this. And…

“Ava…” I whispered.

Bianca stared at me and slowly shook her head.

I cried out, remembering Kage’s screams of denial.

What had happened? Had Ava fallen into the river? Hit her head? Or had she been murdered? I opened my mouth to ask Bianca if she knew but a wave of exhaustion threatened to drag me under.

I jerked when someone tapped my cheeks. It was the doctor, who started asking me questions and shining a light in my eyes. I felt like I was back in the ambulance at The Roost all over again, only this time I wasn’t drinking gallons of water.

“Your vitals look good,” the doctor said after completing his exam. “We’ll have a battery of further tests to conduct. I’ll go put in the orders. Welcome back, Ms. Parelli.”

“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely audible.

Once he was gone, I held out my hand for Bianca who instantly took it.

“What happened to Ava?”

She blinked at me. “You don’t know?”

---