Chapter 20
By the time Briony finally made it back to the studio, dawn was already breaking. Utterly exhausted, she changed into pajamas and collapsed into bed, falling
asleep almost instantly.
She had no idea how long she'd been out when a frantic knocking at the door jolted her awake.
Her eyes flew open and she stared at the familiar ceiling, breath coming quick and shallow. It took her a moment to gather her wits.
She'd been dreaming.
In the dream, she was standing above a river of blood, so vivid it made her shudder. Somewhere in the distance, an infant's cries echoed in her ears...
From outside the room, Hannah's voice rang out. "Briony? Are you awake?"
Her lashes fluttered. Briony pushed herself up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
The room spun as she stood, her body heavy and unsteady.
"Briony? Briony..." Hannah's voice grew more anxious.
"I'm coming," Briony croaked, forcing herself upright and shuffling to the door.
swung open, Hannah
scared me half to death. It's
something had
was nothing if not a creature of habit; she never slept
she clearly
she rasped, her voice
once-over. "You
forehead. It did feel a
just been overworked lately," she said. "A few days of rest and
insisted, placing a hand on Briony's forehead. "You've got
take something for the fever and sleep
sure you don't want to go to
sure. I just
to stand, Briony retreated to
in, clearly unconvinced. "There's a nasty flu
finance pay everyone's salary in advance— cover twelve months-and give each person a year-end bonus of, say, twenty
in shock. "That's a huge
done well this year, but with those numbers,
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