Page 270 of Halfblood Deceived

She would have groaned if she could make her sore, dry throat work.

Her eyelids were heavy, just like the rest of her body, but her sense of smell worked better than she would have liked. The unappetizing mix of bleach, alcohol, medications, cold purified air, and coffee made her nauseated.

I’m in the hospital again; she drowsily mused. Why am I in the hospital again?

The memories came crashing down like badly piled boxes in a dusty storage room.

Diana attacking their coworkers. The terrifying flight and the subsequent crash-landing into the icy lake. The previous time she’d awoken in the hospital. Jessa’s mother. That fuzzy hour in which she’d connected the dots despite whatever gods-awful narcotics the nurse had given her. Then offering herself up as bait and the kidnapping. All that Brittany said and did…

And the dagger that the witch ran through her stomach.

Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep—

“Aella? Can you hear me, honey?” a familiar voice asked. Diana’s voice.

Diana!

A burst of adrenaline ran through Aella’s veins. She opened her eyes, but everything was fuzzy. Blinking several times, she managed to bring the beloved face of her sister into focus.

“Diana,” Aella croaked. Her voice was barely audible. Her throat ached, and she was thirstier than ever. “Are you alright?”

Diana sobbed, her blue eyes full of tears. “Am I alright? How can you ask me that when you almost died again?”

“I’m okay,” Aella lied. There wasn’t a part of her body that didn’t ache. “Thirsty, though.”

Mari appeared at Aella’s other side with a cup in her small hands. Her brown skin looked pale. Dark circles surrounded her verdant eyes. “Here, drink this.” She placed a straw between Aella’s chapped lips.

Aella eagerly sipped the cool liquid. A soft moan dropped from her mouth. It tasted like ambrosia. Sweet, slightly flowery, and fruity.

“Easy,” Mari advised. “Slowly.”

Aella forced herself to comply and drank small gulps, letting the liquid wet her dry mouth. Diana sniffed and placed a lock of Aella’s hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek. She looked exhausted, too. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she was dressed in too-big gray scrubs.

Too soon for Aella’s taste, the delicious beverage ran out.

“I’ll give you some more in twenty minutes, alright?” Mari said, gently squeezing Aella’s hand. “The juice has an anti-nausea potion, but if you drink too much liquid, you might end up vomiting, anyway. And we don’t want that.”

Aella licked her lips and nodded. “Thank you, Mari.”

The small fey sighed. “You are welcome. I really hope you can spend at least a month without getting stabbed or shot at again, Aella. You are starting to look like a colander, girl.”

Diana scowled at Mari.

Aella chuckled weakly. “I’ll do my best.” It felt like a monumental effort, but she grasped her sister’s hand. “If you’re here, it means you’re free, right? Did Evan manage to get a clear recording of what happened? Has the Tribunal seen it? Does everyone know you’re innocent now? How long have I been asleep?”

Mari and Diana shared a bewildered look.

“What?” Aella asked. “What’s wrong? Did I blow it up somehow?” It would be just like her to mess it up, wouldn’t it?

“Evan managed to get a comprehensive recording of every fucking horrible minute of your ordeal,” Mari answered. “And yes, the judges have seen it. Diana has been fully exonerated. You’ve been out for twenty-three hours, which is much less than I expected, considering I had to remove a piece of your large intestine and some other tissue.”

Aella’s eyes went wide. “What—um. Is the damage irreversible?” Her voice cracked, and she winced inwardly. She didn’t want Diana to think she regretted it. She didn’t. If it were necessary, Aella would do it all over again. Consequences be damned.

“No,” Mari answered. “Zeydan got here mere minutes after I’d removed the infected tissue, and he gave you a transfusion. It regenerated you as perfectly as it has before. You’ll be on a liquid diet for a few days, just to be on the safe side. But with some potions and rest, you’ll recover fully in about a week.”

Aella released a breath she definitely knew she’d been holding. “Poor Zeydan. I think I have more of his blood in my system than he does.”

Mari smiled, but there was something cautious in her gaze. “He’s fine. You should worry about yourself.”

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