The shower took what little energy she had, and now Lara could barely string two words together. Shivers swept through her along with the constant ache of open, infected wounds and a bruised body. With the dirt now flushed down the drain, the bruises stood out like a blue, purple, and green tapestry, a harsh reminder of what she’d survived while in the Malirrans’ hands.
She’d survived. Unbelievable.
God, she deserved a year’s worth of rest and relaxation after this last disastrous adventure.
When her hand threatened to dribble water down her front, Skye steadied the glass, wrapping his fingers around hers. The cold water felt great against her scratchy throat. When she couldn’t swallow any more, Lara thrust the half-empty glass toward Skye and lay down with a groan. Every time a cut or bruise met the top of the bed, a wince escaped.
Despite her desire for the good drugs that a hospital dished out, they really couldn’t take the chance someone would recognize her. The temptation grew every minute, however. Her eyes closed without conscious thought, and she ignored the soft murmuring nearby. As another shiver coursed through her body and a cold sweat broke out, Lara debated whether having the flu was worse than how she currently felt. At least she wasn’t vomiting. The pain definitely felt worse than a cold. Okay, her body hurt worse than pneumonia but not as bad as when she had the flu. No idea how people survived the whip.
Good grief, she needed a muzzle for the thoughts scampering through her brain, none of which would make sense to a sane person. Yeah, she so needed sleep.
Back to the hospital issue. She grimaced at the memory of the picture she’d made in the bathroom mirror. Defensive wounds obviously made from sharp weapons covered her entire body. No way could she offset the questions by blaming them on a kitchen accident. Sorry, doc, the knife slipped. She snorted. Like hell that’d work.
Her mom had described it best. Her body looked as it had been through a wood shredder. Her wrists showed evidence of being shackled, and her legs, arms, and torso had bruises in the shape of hands and boots. Yeah, a doctor would take one look at her and call for the police.
Add her name into the mix, and it wouldn’t take a genius to put two and two together. Doctor-patient confidentiality had no chance of stopping the torrent of questions that would follow. Her parents didn’t deserve to weather the media frenzy of her supposed return, especially if she didn’t intend to stay. Except her mom didn’t care about all that. Instead, she wanted the best care for her daughter. If Lara wasn’t so exhausted and pissed from arguing with the woman, she’d hug her. She’d missed her parents.
Lara gritted her teeth when another deep throb rolled through her. Her body agreed with her mother. Fine, it screamed for the stupid hospital’s drugs. At least the lingering dredges of the evil had completely dissipated once they reached Earth. The urge to wallow in madness was gone.
Her dad’s triumphant “Aha!” from downstairs jolted her from her fevered rumination. She turned her head in time for Skye to lean out of the doorway.
“Good lord, what has your father so excited?” her mom muttered.
Her father’s voice got louder as he stomped up the stairs. “Anne, grab your phone.”
“My pho—? James, why the heck do I need my phone?” Now both Skye and her mom were looking down the hallway.
When he finally came into view, the triumphant grin on her dad’s face made her snort. He rattled an orange pill bottle in front of him like it was a gold medal. When his wife merely squinted at him in confusion, he huffed. “For once, just go get your phone or the laptop. We need it.”
Lara’s mom rushed out of the room after throwing her hands in the air. At Skye’s bemused look, she chuckled and explained, “Dad and I both think she’s spunky and the most opinionated out of all of us. Don’t worry. She isn’t really upset. You’ll know when she is.”
“She’s sassy not spunky,” her father whispered with a nod. He handed the pill bottle to Skye.
They both watched her friend’s face scrunch as he tilted the bottle one way and then the other. Lara heard the light rattle as the pills slid back and forth. “Dad, put him out of his misery and tell him what you found.”
“Well,” he scratched the back of his neck for a second, “remember in April of last year when I cut my arm open on the edge of the chainsaw?”
“Yeah,” she said, drawing out the word. Seeing Skye’s head jerk back in surprise, Lara glanced over, shook her head once, and cautioned, “Don’t ask how it happened.”
Intrigued, he raised an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut.
Her dad picked the story back up. “You were already back in classes, but the first batch of antibiotics had a side effect on me. I threw up for fourteen hours straight.”
“That’s right, I’d forgotten.” Lara’s mom said as she walked back into the room with her laptop. “You only took two of the pills. The doctor had to prescribe another antibiotic for you.” She gave her husband a side hug. “You’re thinking about the efficacy of the medicine after so long, right?”
“Yes,” he said with a satisfied grin. He suddenly looked at his empty hands with dismay before walking out of the bedroom without another word.
Without missing a beat in her online search, her mom said, “I’m betting James left everything else in a pile either in the bathroom or bedroom.”
Skye peered through the plastic with wonder. “These tiny pebbles are herbs? Herbs for what?”
Weakness dragged her down yet again, and Lara dropped her head back to the pillow. After blinking several times to clear her vision, she explained, “Antibiotics are used for a variety of illnesses or wounds. In this case, those pebbles, or what we call pills, are swallowed at designated intervals throughout the day. I don’t think calling them herbs quite describes them, but I can’t tell you the details. Not my area of expertise.” She rested for a bit and tucked the blankets around her to ward off the chill. Closing her eyes, she asked around a yawn, “How do you know I won’t get sick like Dad?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” her dad said as he dumped the pile of bandages, rolls of tape, pills, alcohol, and tubes of antibiotic cream on the foot of her bed. “You rarely have a problem taking antibiotics. I’m the weird one in this family.”
Her eyelids finally closed against her will, and she fell asleep to the sound of footsteps and her parents arguing. Right before she went under, she felt work-roughened fingertips slide across her forehead and trail down her cheekbone.
When she next gained awareness, fever held her in its grip, and her throat burned like she’d swallowed a blowtorch. She couldn’t quite place what had woken her. Groggy and unable to see in the darkened room, she croaked, “W-Water.”
A sniffle came from beside her bed, and her mom’s splotchy face leaned over her after a small lamp was switched on. “How about a drink full of electrolytes? It’s also time for your meds. I’ll have your father bring you some food.”
Shaky, Lara couldn’t keep the glass steady. When her mom took control, Lara let her arm drop back to the bed with a sigh. God, she was weak. With her mom’s help, she managed to drink half the glass. The first couple of swallows were difficult until the cool liquid soothed her throat. She let her head sink back into the pillow.
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“Here,” her mom held up a fist full of pills, “take these.”
It was awkward, but she managed to swallow them without too much effort. The empty glass ended up on the bedside dresser. The tight feeling on her arms and legs made Lara frown, and she lifted her arm again to see why. Ah, she’d somehow slept through having her cuts cleaned and bandaged. “How long was I out?”
At the question, her mom broke into deep, heartrending sobs. “Mom? What’s wrong?” she asked, at a loss.
Skye spoke from the doorway, “You have slept for an entire day.”
Lara frowned. “A couple hours isn’t so bad.”
“Try twenty hours, baby,” her mom rebutted.
She opened her mouth and then closed it. Flickers of lucidity came back to her. Waking up enough to roll over. Pills put into her mouth. A bottle of water waved in front of her.
A new urgency hit her, and she stiffened. “Skye, I need your help.”
“What? No,” her mom squawked, “you are in no condition to move, let alone get up. You are still running a fever.”
She agreed with her mother, but her bladder couldn’t wait. Lara needed the bathroom now. Seeming to understand her problem, Skye walked over and gently picked her up, the move smooth and steady. He carried her to the bathroom and set her down.
Lara swayed on her feet before she could lock her knees. “Thanks,” she murmured. She waited until he left before taking care of business. Leaning against the counter, Lara washed her hands.
Good grief, already? What little energy she had was gone.
“Skye?” she called out.
Before Lara finished saying his name, he had already opened the door and peered in. “Are you ready to return to bed? You need more rest.”
She sighed. “Yeah.” After she settled back in bed, the covers pulled up to help with the chills, she asked, “What have you been doing to pass the time?”
His frown seemed to enhance the exhaustion he carried like a shroud. “I have assisted your mother with your care. In order not to bring attention to our presence within your home, your father insisted on carrying out his duties.”
“Huh?” she asked, shooting a confused look toward her mom.
Her mother flashed a grin before laughter bubbled out of her. Lara watched as the older woman wiped the tears away. “Your dad went to work,” she explained. “I apologize, Skye. I’m not laughing at you so much as simply happy my daughter is on the mend.”
Skye gave her a half-bow. “Please, sare, I am not offended. It was a long night. I imagine my choice of words are no different from how we react to Lara’s.”
Lara glanced at the clock by the bed. It was four o’clock. “Is he getting off work at the regular time?”
Her mother groaned as she stood up. “I imagine he’ll show up within the hour. Now, you must be starving. I have homemade chicken noodle soup simmering in the kitchen. Do you want crackers with it?”
Lara nodded once, grimacing when her stomach howled.
“Good, you need food to relieve the potential nausea from the antibiotics I’ve forced down you.” Her mom strode to the door with renewed purpose. “I’ll be right back. Young man, watch her like a hawk.”
“Yes, sare.” Skye waited until they both heard the clatter of silverware and bowls in the kitchen before he leaned over and whispered, “What is a hawk?”
Lara covered her face after a loud snort escaped. Poor Skye. She giggled. “It is a large bird. Predator.” She studied her friend for a long minute, thinking. “You know. You didn’t really see much of my world last time you were here.”
“Lara,” he groaned, “we do not have the time to travel. The land we traveled through while in your cart—car—is enough for me.”
Lara smirked. Yes, they had traveled through several states, but he really hadn’t seen some of the marvels around the world. “Skye, we don’t even have to leave this room. I can show you some amazing things you’ll never get the chance to see again right here from this bed.” She caught his gaze darkening with no small amount of wickedness. She ran back through her last sentence; her blush felt like flames on her skin. “God, get your head out of the sewer. That is so not what I meant.”
Thank goodness her mother walked in. “Mom,” she exclaimed, startling the woman. “Thanks for making soup. I don’t think I could handle anything heavier.” After Skye helped her sit up, Lara took the bowl her mother offered. She breathed in the aroma of the familiar dish. It made her mouth water, so she dipped her spoon into the broth before taking a tentative bite. Groaning, she chewed the chicken and noodles before swallowing.
“Good, I take it.” Lara heard the humor in her mom’s voice.
“Delicious.” She glanced over at Skye. “You have to eat some of this.”
“Don’t worry. I have a bowl downstairs ready to bring up for him,” her mother assured. She dropped the packet of crackers on the blanket. “I didn’t have enough hands to carry everything up in one trip.”
Remembering her earlier conversation with Skye, Lara asked, “Do you still have your laptop?”
The older woman paused at the door. “Of course, but you can’t contact any of your friends.”
“I know,” she said before shrugging. “I just thought that Skye would like to see some of the things we have on Earth that isn’t available on Aradun.”
“Ah, smart girl.” Her mother appraised Skye with a calculating gaze. “I imagine James will want to show him a few things as well. Let me grab Skye’s dinner, and I’ll hunt down the charger to my laptop. I’ll also bring a few movies up.”
“Thanks.” It was all Lara could say around the huge knot in her throat. Despite how much she hurt or how much the fever racked her body, Lara didn’t want to be anywhere except in the house where she’d grown up. Then it hit her.
She was home.
Perhaps for the last time.
Both Skye and she had spent so much time worrying about returning to Aradun that Lara hadn’t considered what it meant for her to be on Earth. Balancing her soup bowl in her lap, she rubbed her chest, trying to ease the sudden ache. Lara bit back a sob, but she couldn’t stop the tears. She was a certifiable mess, and her parents didn’t deserve for her to leave them so soon. Another sob escaped. Lara stared into the chicken noodle soup as if it held all the answers.
A rough, callous-covered hand came into view and took her soup. She rolled to her side and hid her face in her pillow, crying for all she was worth.
The kidnapping. The night that she escaped the Malirrans, only to give into the darkness all around her. The dungeon cell that stank of fear and despair. Skye saving her.
She had survived, but at what cost? Her parents’ grief and worry? Her future here? For the first time in months, she felt torn between what could have been and what she’d chosen as her new life. If she returned to Aradun with Skye, Lara would lose her family.
She cried, smothering her sobs with her left hand, not wanting to appear weak in front of Skye. He wouldn’t understand. Arms wrapped around her, holding her close, and even though it hurt to be held, Lara breathed in the familiar, calming scent of her mother. The woman simply held her, never saying a word. Even when her blanket became damp, her mother refused to let her go.
A dip in the bed caught both her mom and her by surprise. Her father’s soft voice came from behind. “I didn’t think this is how I’d find the two women I love most in the world when I got home. I found Skye sitting at the kitchen table with a thoughtful frown on his face. The boy just pointed to the stairs before I could ask what happened.”
Lara reached behind her for her dad’s hand. Instead, he wrapped his longer arms around the both of them, leaving her cocooned inside her parents’ embrace. How she had missed them.
For a long while, no one moved. Finally, Lara puffed out one last breath before trying to sniff through her stuffed nose. “I’m okay. You can let me go now.”
Her father gave her a gentle squeeze and pat before sitting back, then it was her mother’s turn. Lara turned until she faced them both. Her mom wiped her own face with her shirtsleeve while James looked on with concern.
“You know, Solara,” he began, “the choice truly is yours.”
She was already shaking her head. He pointed at her with the most serious expression she’d ever seen her father display. “No, listen. The choice is yours. Your life is yours to live. No one can tell you how to live your life.”
Lara shrank into herself, afraid she’d start crying again. “You are telling me good-bye.”
“No,” her mom denied, “it is exactly what James is telling you. Listen to what he is telling you. Listen to what we say next. We have had time to process some of what has happened while you were gone this last time. We have grieved for the loss of you even when you weren’t really gone.”
“I know everyone thought I was dead, still do, but you know I’m alive.”
Her father hugged his wife hard, folding her into him. “You don’t understand, Solara. We lost you twice. Your return is a miracle in and of itself, one we never thought to receive.”
“But I…” Lara didn’t know what to say.
Her mother picked up the conversation. “So listen well, for if you choose to leave, I think God won’t give us another chance.” She waited for Lara to nod. Looking as if she picked her words with careful deliberation, her mother explained, “Your father is right. We lost you twice. If you leave, we will lose you for a third time. During all this, we have tried to make sense of what has happened to our family.” Her mother smiled, although sadness made it more wistful than anything. “James always teased that you were born on that exact day and time for a reason. He just didn’t realize how momentous your birth really was. I scoffed at the idea, you know? You were my daughter, and that was all that mattered to me. But I think my husband had the right of it.”
“Dad, you always call me by my full name.” Lara blushed when she couldn’t ask her next question.
Her father continued her train of thought, though it took a couple seconds. “And you want to know why.”