Chapter 34
Thirty-Four
Iwalk through the mist, not knowing which way to go. It’s all so confusing. Every other time I felt as though I was being pulled forward, and I had that voice to guide me. But now I just feel lost in an abyss.
Walking in one direction, I turn around and start in another. The fog never disperses or lessens, and I circle around, more confused than ever.
Then there’s a voice in my head. “We’re losing her!”
“I need another clamp?—”
The words fade away, and the fog recedes. But the more the fog lifts, all I see is darkness surrounding me.
“Cinder.”
It’s that same voice I heard in my dreams at Midnight Manor.
“Cinder…”
I turn toward the voice.
“You have to come this way.” The voice is kind, and I step in that direction.
As I move, the fog descends again and thickens.
“That’s it. Keep coming, Cinder. Keep walking.”
I do, but then there’s a flash of light. Then nothing.
The first thingI notice is constant beeping and the smell of antiseptic. I want to open my eyes, but they’re so heavy, and I’m tired.
“Why isn’t she waking up?”
Nero? It sounds like him, but it’s muffled.
“She will. Her body needs rest. It’s healing.”
Anabelle.
Warmth tightens around my hand. I squeeze.
“Holy shit! She just squeezed my hand,” I hear Nero’s voice again. “Princess, can you hear me? Can you squeeze my hand again?”
I squeeze as hard as I can, using every ounce of willpower in me.
“I’ll go get the doctor,” Anabelle says, and I hear what sounds like a squeaky door.
“Can you open your eyes? Even just a little? Please, Cinder, I’ve been so scared.”
It’s the fear in his voice that has me trying hard to open my eyes. It takes a few attempts, and when I get them open just a sliver, the lights sear my eyes. I slam my eyes shut again.
“That’s great! That’s great! Now see if you can do it a little more.” He squeezes my hand.
I try again, and this time, I get them open slowly. Nero’s standing beside the bed, looking down at me with tears in his eyes.
“Oh, thank God.” He presses his forehead to mine and wetness coats my cheek, but it isn’t my own.
“I need you to back up, Mr. Voss,” a deep voice from behind him says.
A man in a white lab coat looks over me from the other side of the bed. It’s a bit of a blur. He asks me questions about how I’m feeling and whether I’m in pain. It’s as if as soon as he mentions it, my brain takes notice of the throbbing pain on my left side. He goes on to explain to me that I had surgery to repair a gunshot wound in my side.
“You were very lucky it didn’t hit any internal organs. It will take some time to recover, but you should be fine with no lasting repercussions down the road.”
I don’t say anything. I’m so confused. I don’t remember how I even got here.
Once the doctor leaves, I turn my attention to Nero. “What happened? Who shot me?”
I try to remember, but everything is a blur. I remember leaving the dance studio and being glad to be able to go to bed soon because I was so tired. And I remember thinking that I was going to feel sad when I drove past the gates… because Nero wasn’t speaking to me anymore.
Everything comes back to me in a rush—Maude and Louise showing up at the studio, Nero being upset with me, and us breaking up. So why is he here?
“Go on and tell her, Nero. I’m going to give you guys some privacy.” I hadn’t even realized that Anabelle returned.
“What are you doing here?” I ask once she’s gone.
“Of course I’m here.” He grips my hand tighter.
“The last thing I remember was that you still hated me. Did we make up, and I just forgot?”
He shakes his head, frowning. “No, but we’re going to. Because I’m never letting you go again, Cinder. But we’ll save that conversation for when you’re healed.”
“Okay.” The only reason I agree is because I don’t have any energy. I’m so tired. “Who shot me then?”
His jaw clenches. “Freddie did. He ambushed you after you left the studio. I tried to intervene, and he aimed the gun at me. You saved my life.”
“I did?”
He presses his lips together and nods. “Yeah. Even though we weren’t together, you still saved my life, and you got shot as a result, almost ending your own.” He shakes his head as if he can’t believe it, and his eyes water. “Don’t take a bullet for me ever again, you hear me?”
I’m not surprised by what he tells me. Except the part about Freddie ambushing me. There’s no way I would stand by and do nothing if Nero’s life was in jeopardy.
“What happened to Freddie?” I ask.
“I tell you all that, and you want to know what happened to Freddie? Cinder, you saved my life and almost died in the process. I was so scared when I saw you lying there, bleeding. I thought the universe was stealing someone else I love from me.”
My eyes widen when he mentions the word love, but my eyelids get heavier and heavier. I don’t have long until my body demands that I rest. “So what happened with Freddie?”
I need to know that he’s not a threat to me or Nero or Lisa and her kids.
“He’s been arrested and charged with attempted murder, among other things.”
“Good. That’s good.” But before I can say anything else, my eyelids close, and I drift off.