C. Bryant - Broken

“You would rather watch her suffer?” Watch them die ? Belesgar slipped the stone back in the pouch. “Perhaps a few more days of this will convince you. What shall you do with her when your cravings increase? Have you given that any thought?”

“Of course I have. I still have a few days. If she is not awake by then. . I will find a way to keep her safe.” Octavion reached for the door handle, then stopped when it pushed open from the other side.

“Excuse me, Your Excellency,” Ussay said as she poked her head through the small opening.

“You dare interrupt our conversation?” the king roared.

“Father, our conversation is over. ” Octavion turned to Ussay. “What is it?”

She smiled. “I believe she is waking.”

He looked over her shoulder to see Kira lying on the bed, not moving. “Are you certain?” He swung the door open and brushed past her. “Why is she on her back? I gave you instructions to keep her on her side.” He sat on the bed.

“She did that on her own. I went to move her and she said ‘no’. So I asked her if she wanted to stay on her back and she nodded. She has never responded to my questions before.”

He lifted her hand and squeezed it tight. “Kira.” But she gave no response. “Kira. Can you hear me?”

She moaned and her fingers twitched in his hand.

“Kira. You need to wake up.”

She moaned again and mumbled, “Octavion?” She swallowed, her dry throat making a clicking sound.

“I am right here. Can you open your eyes? I need to see your eyes, Kira.” His racing heart leapt into his throat. Please wake up, please.

Slowly her eyelids lifted, but then she clamped them shut and shook her head. “They hurt. . I can’t.” She swallowed again. “I’m thirsty.”

“Ussay, get her some water-hurry.”

Ussay stepped to the bedside table and poured from a pitcher into a small cup. She handed it to him with shaky hands. A tear streamed down her face.

Octavion smiled up at her. “She is awake.” Fragile hope and joy roared through him. He gently lifted Kira’s head and supported it while she took a swallow of the water.

“Good girl. Take a little more,” he coaxed.

She gulped another mouthful before her body relaxed against the covers.

“Do not go back to sleep.” He handed the cup to Ussay, then leaned in and whispered in Kira’s ear. “Kira, my love. . if you open your eyes, I will let you cuddle.” He straightened enough to see her face.

She smiled.

“Promise?” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“I promise.”

She took in a staggered breath. Her eyelids slowly tested the light, squinting and blinking. “Why is it so. . dark?”

It was late evening but there was still plenty of light in the room and the drapes were wide open. When she finally opened her eyes wide enough so Octavion could see them, his heart sank. Her beautiful green eyes-the same ones that sparkled like cut emeralds-were dark and lifeless.

“What can you see?” he asked, not wanting to know the answer. How much permanent damage had the poison and Darkord blood caused? He’d never heard of either causing blindness or even impaired vision.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Just. . dark shadows.” Her body relaxed as she drifted back to sleep.

“Kira,” he said a little louder.

She jerked awake. “Don’t. . I want to sleep,” she begged. “Please. . let me. . sleep.”

“Shh. . be still, my love. Sleep. I will be here when you wake.” He could see now that there was no way he’d be able to keep her awake. He could only hope she would become more and more alert in the hours to come.

She lay there a few more minutes in silence. When he lowered her hand to her side, she moaned. “Octavion?”

“I am here,” he said.

“You said. . cuddle.” The words were barely a whisper, but his heart leapt knowing she was alert enough to know what she wanted.

He went to the other side of the bed and slid under the covers, then pulled her near. She responded by snuggling closer.

“I. . missed you,” she mumbled.

A lump threatened to choke back his words. “I missed you too.”

Ussay wiped the tears from her face, walked to the drapes and pulled them partially closed, leaving a small stream of light splashing across the floor. “I will be in your dressing chambers if you need me.”

“Thank you.”

She curtsied and then flashed a smile. “You are very welcome.” Then she walked into the other room. She’d been a very important part of Kira’s recovery. Her constant vigilance and kind hearted demeanor had made an enormous difference in how he’d dealt with the situation as well. He would be eternally indebted to her.

Octavion held Kira through the night, waiting patiently for her to wake again, but she didn’t stir. She remained asleep for two more days and when she finally woke, it was with a vengeance.

Early one morning, Gregor came to remove the stitches in Kira’s cheek. He insisted Octavion leave the room in case she bled. Standing outside the door, he heard Gregor giving Ussay instructions regarding the instrument used and the salve he meant to administer when they finished.

“Clip it at the base, next to the skin,” Gregor instructed. Octavion felt glad Gregor had allowed Ussay to remove the stitches, for Gregor was a crotchety old man with shaky hands.

“Like this?” she asked.

“Here let me show you.” There was a pause, then Kira moaned. “Hold her head still.” Gregor let out a grunt of frustration. “Ussay, hold her still.”

Ussay screamed.

Then Kira yelled, “Don’t touch me.”

“Octavion!” Ussay called, but he had already entered the room.

If the scene hadn’t been so serious, he would have laughed and cheered Kira on. She stood in the middle of the bed, her eyes wide with fear. A pair of scissors clenched tightly in her hand. Oh, how he loved her fierceness.

Gregor leaned over the bed, attempting to grab her weapon, and Ussay threw her hands up to ward Kira off.

“Get away from me,” Kira yelled. She blinked and squinted as if trying to get her eyes to focus.

“Gregor, back away slowly,” Octavion instructed. “Kira, it is all right. They will not hurt you.”

Her brow furrowed. She closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to clear cobwebs from her mind. When she opened her eyes once more, she sliced the air with the scissors, first toward Gregor, then Ussay. Her body shook violently and Octavion feared she’d fall off the bed.

“Kira? It is me, Octavion. You are safe here. Put the scissors down.” He stepped to the side of the bed.

“No!” She stumbled back against the massive headboard. “Don’t touch me.”

“Kira, do you not recognize me? Look at my face, my eyes.” He took a step closer.

“My head hurts. . everything is so fuzzy.”

“Try to focus on my eyes.” He hadn’t taken the time to shave and what little facial hair he had could have distorted the shape of his face, especially if she wasn’t seeing well.

With jerking movements she glanced around the room. “Where am I?”

“One of the rooms in my castle. You are safe.” He tried to sit on the edge of the bed, but she took a swing at him with the scissors, barely missing his face.

Ussay had disappeared into his dressing chambers and now stood at the foot of the bed. “Octavion,” she called.

He turned as she threw a small blue bottle at him. He caught it. “Where did you get this?” It was V'Larian, the same white powder he’d used on Kira the night Lydia had been hurt.

She blushed. “In your lair. I thought it might be of use.”

He poured a small amount into the palm of his hand, held it up as close to Kira as he dared and blew it into her face. The fine powder flew at her like a mist. She jerked her head to the side to avoid it, but her first breath drew it into her lungs. She instantly began to sway, dropping her hands to her side. As she collapsed, Octavion jumped onto the bed and caught her in his arms. He threw the scissors to the floor.