Chapter 43
CHAPTER 43
NORA
“ I ’ll always love you, my sweet babies.”
“Moooom,” James whines in the way that only a young boy can as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m eight. I’m not a baby!”
My lips tip up into a soft smile as I gaze down at him.
“You’ll always be my babies…”
The vision playing out before me wavers, giving way to darkness as a steady, incessant beeping rouses me from the deepest sleep I’ve ever experienced.
Wait…
No… that’s not right.
Is it?
Am I sleeping?
Where am I?
I try to open my eyes, only to get hit with a tidal wave of déjà vu so strong it steals the air from my lungs.
Scarlet.
Lunch.
Rand.
Dead.
Atlas.
Safe.
I’m safe.
I try again, but it’s too bright.
Too loud. Too hard.
Too everything.
Someone somewhere murmurs my name—Atlas.
He’s here.
But before I can try for a third time, the darkness claims me again.