Bonds

Chapter 55

-Maya’s POV-

A wave of nausea rolled over me threatening to pull me under. The room spun, a dizzying carousel of white walls and blurry shapes. A cool hand settled on my forehead, a comforting anchor in the sea of disorientation. “Easy there,” a familiar voice murmured, laced with concern.

My eyelids fluttered open, battling the heaviness that threatened to keep them shut. Slowly, the blurry shapes merged into a face – Ivan’s face, filled with worry and a hint of relief. Relief washed over me, momentarily eclipsing the fear and pain that gnawed at the edges of my

consciousness.

to my own ears. The memories, fragmented and terrifying, began to flood back–the

my throat. “What happened?” I croaked, the question a

as he pushed me back down onto the bed. “Calm down, Amaya. It’s okay. You’re

my current state. “No, it’s not okay,” I insisted, my voice rising with a tremor. “Natalia… Sarah… Riley. What about them?” Images of their faces flashed in my

the storm brewing

rest”

How could I possibly relax when my friends could be lying in similar beds, their bodies broken and bruised? The fear morphed into anger, a hot coal burning in my gut. “I need to see them,” I declared, pushing myself up in the bed, ignoring the wave of dizziness that threatened to topple

my shoulder. “Whoa, there. The doctor said you need

the frantic energy coursing through me. “But what happened?” I demanded, my