Page 27 of Rising from the Depths

Eva’s patience was suddenly worn quite thin. “Why are you here?”

“So you have someone to be mad at,” he replied, leaning forward and slipping his hand under her back. He lifted her into a full sitting position as easily as he might’ve folded a piece of paper and turned her so she sat on the edge of the bed.

“What?” she asked, taken aback.

He paused, meeting her gaze again. His hands settled on her hips, and he leaned closer still. “If anger is what drives you for now, I am here to be its target. Because I am not going to allow your self-pity any longer.”

Eva didn’t want to do this. Shecouldn’tdo this. “Aymee!”

Somehow, Aymee heard her through the closed door, which opened not a moment later. Aymee stepped into the room with a pair of crutches.

Eva stared at the crutches in horror. “You’reallowingthis?”

Aymee propped them against the bed. “Not only allowing it but encouraging it. You need this, Eva, and Kronus has agreed to help you.”

“Ican’t.”

“Have you tried?” Kronus demanded.

Eva gripped her left thigh. “Kronus, I can’t do this.”

His skin flashed red. “You can, and you will,” he said, voice dropping low. “Only after you have fallen down and pulled yourself up a thousand times will I accept that you cannot.”

Tears of fear, pain, and frustration filled her eyes. She looked to Aymee, silently begging the woman to put a stop to this, to just let her be, but Aymee offered only an encouraging smile.

“If you need me, I’ll be nearby,” Aymee said gently, making her way to the door.

“You can’t leave me with him!”

“You’re in good hands, Eva.”

Eva stared at the open doorway in disbelief. This was real. It wasn’t a dream, or a nightmare, it was her life. Movement at the edge of her vision called her attention to the crutches.

One of Kronus’s tentacles had slithered over the bed, slipped through the gaps beneath the arm-pads on both crutches, and lifted them. Removing his hands from her hips, he passed the crutches into his left hand and held them upright at the bedside.

“Come, female.”

Eva shook her head. “No.”

“If you prefer to walk without these sticks, I will make you do that instead.”

Eva pressed her lips together and gritted her teeth. “Fine.”

Kronus backed up slightly, allowing Eva some space as she tossed the blanket aside and scooted her bottom to the edge of the bed. Her bare right foot settled on the cool floor. She scowled down at her stump.

Shifting his position, Kronus grasped her left bicep and tugged her off the bed — onto her foot.

Eva gasped, balance wavering. “No! No, I’m not ready!”

“Lying in bed will not make you ready.” The solidness of his hold maintained her balance, prevented her from pitching too far forward or back. He extended his other arm to hold the crutches in front of her. “Do you know how to use these?”

“No.”

Suddenly Kronus was before her, a wall of ochre skin and sculpted muscle. He guided her hand to his shoulder; she wasn’t sure why until he released his hold on her. She dug her nails into his skin, clutching at him to keep her balance. Days in bed with little to no food had weakened her and left her shaky.

She wasn’t sure shecoulddo this, whether she wanted to or not.

Kronus separated the crutches from each other and, without ceremony, shoved their padded ends under her arms. He directed her right hand to the grip further down the crutch before moving her left hand off him and repeating the process. Without his support, she was forced to spread her weight between her foot and the crutches.

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