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.

open, Hannah let out a sigh of

half to death. It's

had

nothing if not a creature of habit;

though, she

fine," she rasped, her

a once-over. "You don't

hand to her forehead. It did feel a little

said. "A few days of rest and I'll be good as

insisted, placing a hand on Briony's forehead. "You've got

I'll just take something for

you don't want to go to

I just need some

retreated to her bed and

in, clearly unconvinced. "There's a nasty flu

topics, she said, "We're shutting the studio down for the year. Have finance pay everyone's salary in advance— cover twelve months-and

blinked in shock. "That's a

done well this year, but with those numbers, the total payout would be

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