There’s a knock on the door. I don’t want to move as I don’t want to wake Annalise. Her face is snuggled against my chest, her forehead warm now. I’m hot. Sweaty.
The door opens and an icy wind comes toward me. It’s not Mercury.
“How is she?” Gabriel’s voice is almost civil. He’s standing in the doorway to the bedroom. He looks pissed off.
“Sleeping. She’s weak. Really weak. I think she needs food. And liquids, I suppose.” I try to sound matter-of-fact, like I’m discussing a medical problem, not the girl in my arms.
Silence. A long silence.
Then he leaves, saying, “I’ll get Nesbitt on to it.”
I want to say thanks but he’d hate that and anyway he’s gone.
Annalise sleeps on.
A short while later Nesbitt appears with a bowl of something. “Soup. With a little pick-me-up of Van’s in it.” He puts it down. “Gabriel’s in a foul mood for some reason. Can’t understand him myself; after all, we’ve rescued the girl.”
I ask, “What time is it?”
“No idea. Why?”
“I’m sure it must be after dark but I don’t feel bad.”
“Oh that. Yes, it’s night. Van says Mercury must have had a spell for the bunker. To make it habitable. Very impressive apparently. Van doesn’t know how to do it.”
I remember now. Mercury had a similar spell for the cottage in Switzerland.
After Nesbitt has gone I wake Annalise as gently as I can. She opens her eyes and says, “I feel dizzy. And a bit strange.”
“You’ve been under the spell for months.” I don’t say wasting away but that’s what appears to have been happening.
“Months?”
“Two months.”
“Wow, that’s a long sleep.” She sits up a little and looks around. “Where are we?”
“Mercury’s home in Norway.”
“And where’s Mercury?”
“She’s dead.”
Annalise thinks about this for a few seconds and then says, “So we’re safe?”
“As safe here as anywhere, I think.” I lift the soup bowl up. “You need to eat this.”
“How did you find me? What happened to Mercury? Tell me everything that’s happened while I’ve been asleep.”
“I will if you eat.”
“Deal. I’m hungry.”
I feed her soup. I talk while she takes tiny sips, and eventually the bowl is empty and I’ve told her everything, even about my Gift, even about killing Hunters, and even about killing Pilot. She asks a few questions, not many. Mainly she’s quiet, taking it all in. She asks about the Alliance and says it sounds a good thing. And she asks about my Gift and I try to explain but it’s hard and I end up just saying that I transform. She insists that killing Hunters to protect myself is understandable but she doesn’t comment on Pilot except to say, “I would have died if it wasn’t for you.”
So I’ve told her everything. Only of course I haven’t.
I haven’t told her that one of the Hunters I killed was her brother and that I killed him by ripping his throat out. I haven’t mentioned that I tasted his blood. I haven’t mentioned anything about the blood, in fact. I haven’t told her that when I’m an animal I have a tendency to eat things, like deer and foxes and rats.
And I haven’t told her that I like being an animal.
And I definitely haven’t told her that a few hours ago I was kissing Gabriel.
But I know this is not the time for that. Annalise nearly died. She’s still not well and I just want to savor the good things about us being together.
Annalise looks at me and asks, “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. I’m just worried about you. Your heart kept stopping.”
“Well, I’m feeling a bit stronger. I want to see if I can walk around.”
I get up first and Annalise swings her legs out of bed and stands and wobbles. “Whoa! Dizzy again.” I grab her and she clings to me. “But OK with you here.”
She leans on me and I hold her. She’s as fragile as glass. I’m careful not to squeeze too hard as I remember her ribs. “Do they hurt?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “A little sore.” But she winces when I touch her ribcage. “But I’m alive. I’m awake.” She smiles at me. “And my healing is working. I can feel it.”
She puts her hand up to my cheek. “You saved me, Nathan. You searched for me and risked everything for me. You’re my prince. Coming to my rescue.”
“I’m no prince.”
She leans her face up to me and kisses me on the lips. “Whatever you are, thank you.” Then she stands back and stares at me. “You look tired.”
“Rescuing people from evil witches is exhausting, I’ve discovered.”
“You need to rest now.” She turns. “Oh, look. A bed! That’s handy.” And she pulls me to it, saying, “Come back here with me.”
And I let her guide me to the bed and she lies down and I crawl onto it and I lie next to her. She smells so good. Even after all this time asleep, she smells clean and of her.