Page 143 of A Kingdom of Shadows

"Nara, stop," Illias says as he watches me frantically run both my hands over my stomach, where I can feel bandages wrapped around—

"You're panicking." Those words don't come from Illias. Idris says it as he stands at the edge of this single bed. His thick brows crease as he looks at me, the wave of concern washing his features bleeds into my heart, and I shake my head like a manic person.

My brothers, the three of them here before me.

I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do, I don't know how to calm myself because my brothers are here. They are here and safe, and I am too afraid that this might be just a dream.

"You're alive," I say when I find my voice, cracking a hopeful smile across my lips. "You're okay."

Illias's soft, reassuring squeeze on my leg has me wrap my hands around him as tears sting behind my eyelids. I pull back, pressing my palms against his face, hoping this is not a dream.

I turn to Iker and Idris, about to rush toward them for another embrace, when Illias stops me again. I'm suddenly frowning. "Where are we?"

Idris looks away. The room is dark, but there are no windows, only sconces scattered along chest drawers. "In Aeris."

In Aeris.

The kingdom where Phoenixes rule.

I feel the panic burrow into my veins now.

Illias says, "We were hoping you would wake up sooner, but we weren't sure how you would react—"

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask, my head spinning; I'm suddenly breathing too harshly.

Illias doesn't answer.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask again, my eyes flickering to all three of my brothers. They look the same as when I left them. Brown curls and Idris's long chestnut hair.

"Five days," Iker answers and my eyes widen.

"What do you mean five days?" I rise from the bed, and they all come to my aid as if I might fall the second I stand.

"Nara, you are still weak from—"

"Where is Darius?" I cut Idris off as his arm stretches out to grab me, but I push past him, finding Iker blocking the doorway. I'm stumbling all over the place, and despite the need for answers, I only want to know where Darius is. "Move out of the way."

"I can't do that."

"Iker!"

The door flies open, and the unmistakable color of violet snatches my eyes from Iker.

"Oh, my Solaris—Nara." Freya breathes as she barges past Iker, her arms wide open to embrace me. Lavender floats up my nostrils as she squeezes me, and her cries cut the tension in the room as she says, "You're okay, oh thank Crello, you're okay."

The shock doesn't wear off me even as I slowly bring my arms up around her to reciprocate.

I don't feel okay.

I don't know what is going on.

As she breaks away from me, Rydan and Link come through the doorway. My eyes set on Link holding Tibith in his arms, and a whimpering sob breaks free from my lips at the sight of him awake.

"Hello, Miss Nara," he says, but there is no spark in his eye. No innocent joy that I am so used to seeing.

"It's good to see you, Ambrose." Rydan nods at me, a soft smile cutting his usual mischievous features.

"How—" My throat burns with the desire to shed tears. "How did you—"

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