Chapter 93: 093: Sisterhood
Anna walked into the hospital room, the heavy doors feeling like lead under her hands as she pushed them open.
The conversation with Kai honestly left her exhausted. At the back of her mind was a subtle whisper, a tiny worry that perhaps she had overreacted. But she didn’t pay that voice any heed.
All her attention was now on Ray.
The ward was silent. So silent that her breaths sounded too loud. Compared to the violence and everything that had just gone down in the lobby, it was like stepped into an alternate dimension
Her legs trembled violently as she reached his bedside. The moment she saw his body, fresh tears filled her eyes, and she covered her mouth with shaky, blood stained hands.
"Ray..." her voice came out tiny and shattered.
The doctors had stitched him up, changed his clothes and cleaned up most of the blood. The horrifying image of his chest wide open and his heart outside of his body still wouldn’t leave Anna’s mind. Now his chest was wrapped in layers of white medical gauze tinted with red.
He didn’t look like the Ray she was used to. The Ray that hovered around her like a shield. He looked so dreadful. His warm tan skin had turned pale. He looked small, almost vulnerable. Like if she touched him wrong, he’d shatter. The machines floating around him beeped regularly, flashing lights, almost as if telling Anna that he was still alive.
She sank into the chair beside his bed, her lips wobbling as she reached out and took his hand. He was cold. Almost icy.
"Hey," Anna whispered, swallowing thickly. "You’re gonna be okay..."
It didn’t feel like it was going to be okay.
The doctor had said he was hanging on by a mere thread. Beastmen had incredible healing. But the attack had affected most of his internal organs.
Anna didn’t want to imagine the implications.
She lowered her head, resting her forehead on the very edge of the bed right above his hand. She wished with all that was inside her, that he’d open his eyes and look at her. Squeeze her hand, and smile at her.
But nothing happened.
He didn’t move. Nothing more than the slow rises and fall of his chest.
His hand in hers didn’t move. Not even the tiniest twitch.
Anna didn’t have any tears left in her to cry. Yet somehow, she was able to.
Please. Please wake up. You can’t die. I won’t let you die on me.
She kept chanting those words. Over and over again in her head, as exhaustion wrapped around her and dragged her down to a restless sleep.
***
When next she opened her eyes, nothing had changed in the dimly lit room. The suffocating weight in her chest only grew heavier.
Glancing down, she saw that she was still holding Ray’s hand tightly. And he was still dangerously cold.
The soft click of the door made her flinch, but raising her head in the direction of it showed someone she wasn’t expecting to see.
"Your highness," Bella greeted with a bow. Her usual bright energy was gone, and her eyes were wide and rimmed red. The moment her gaze landed on Anna, taking in her disheveled look and blood soaked dress, a broken sob tore free from Bella’s throat.
She rushed across the room and threw her arms around Anna, pulling her into a tight and desperate embrace.
Anna, not expecting the action, froze for a split second before her own composure shattered. She rose to her feet and hugged Bella back, burning her face into Bella’s shoulder and letting out a low, ragged sob.
Bella’s arms tightened around her, quiet tears filling her own eyes. She had heard eveyrhing that happened from the other servants. But the last thing she expected was to see the Princess looking so exhausted and worn out, and bloody. Bella’s heart couldn’t handle the image. She didn’t even know when she moved, or what possessed her to hug the Princess.
Anna body trembled as she sobbed into Bella’s shoulder. There was something about the hug that felt so different. Maybe it was because Anna hadn’t had the luxury of a female friend for so long. Or maybe because Bella was warm and felt comforting. Or maybe it was just because of everything else that had happened.
But Anna didn’t care.
Her fingers tightened in Bella’s sleeves and she held onto her like she was a lifeline.
In turn, Bella returned the embrace, holding Anna so closely as if she’d vanish for one second.
Together, they fell apart. Anna’s sobs filled the air till she couldn’t cry anymore. Till the tears all dried up and left her hiccuping and even more exhausted.
"Your highness," Bella whispered as Anna pulled away.
Anna wiped her eyes, turning her head away so Bella wouldn’t see her face. "I’m sorry about that," she whispered.
"There’s no need to be," Bella replied immediately. "Is there anything at all I can do for you? Anything."
"Stay here. I need to wash up. Make sure no one except Azul and the doctors come in here."
"But your highness, I should help you get ready for today,"
Anna shook her head, her gaze moving to Ray. "There’s no need."
Bella nodded tearfully, squeezing Anna’s hand for one last time.
Anna left, returning to her private quarters. Inside the bathroom, the running water felt scalding against her skin. She watched as the water turned red, then a light pink, before turning clear completely. Her throat tightened up again.
Ray’s blood. Down the fucking drain.
She scrubbed herself frantically. As if doing so would erase all the painful memories. But no amount of soap could wash away the sick feeling twisted in her stomach. No amount of rinsing could change anything.
She hastily left and changed into a simple black gown, then hurried back to the ward.
Azul was right outside, pacing the floors, trying to keep a frantic Kai at bay.
Anna’s heart plummeted the moment she spotted him. "What do you want?" She asked coldly.
Kai took a step closer to her only to be stopped by Azul. "Anna please. I’m sorry about yesterday. I made mistakes and—"
"I don’t want to see you right now, Kai. Please leave me alone or I’ll call the guards" Anna said.
Kai’s eyes widened. He looked hurt, so hurt that Anna’s heart skipped and she felt bad.
But she ignored her own feelings and walked into the ward. Azul followed behind her. She knew that Kai lingered, but she heard the exact moment when he left.
Her shoulders slumped as she exhaled.
"Anna," Azul called behind her.
She turned to him. He didn’t say anything else. Didn’t lecture her about her safety or try to give a detached report. He simply looked at her, at her hair tied into a messy braid, his eyes melting with tenderness.
Anna felt more tears coming. He stepped closer to her, and with large steady hands, he reached up and gently wiped the tears gathering on her lower lashes.
"Ray will be alright," he murmured.
Anna leaned into his touch. He was large, and cold, a perfect salve to her face. "How do you know that?" She asked through tears.
His thumb flicked them all away. "He’s strong. The Westerners...they don’t die easily. He will survive this."
Anna opened her mouth to reply but no words would come out. Azul pulled her in and she melted against his broad chest. He was so sturdy and strong, like a dependable pillar Anna knew would never let her down.
"I should be able to heal him," she whispered, pulling back for a second and glancing in Ray’s direction. "What use are my spores if I can’t ...if I can’t help him?"
Azul gave a curt, supportive nod. Anna stepped away from him and up to Ray’s bedside. Bella gave way, moving to stand by the door.
Anna closed her eyes, stretching her palms over his bandaged chest. She focused every ounce of her exhausted soul on him.
She thought about him. His soft voice and his inky eyes that always stared at her with words she couldn’t read. She tried to think of more personal memories but her heart sank as she realized she didn’t have much with him.
She had plenty with Kai. And Azul. And even Leon.
But Ray?
Anna bit back a sob. He was always present. Always ready to talk to her and yet...
And yet she treated him like a background character.
"I’m sorry..." she sobbed, her hands trembling. Her knees felt weak and she nearly tumbled to the ground if it wasn’t for a pair of soft hands wrapping around her middle.
"Your highness...I’m right here," Bella’s soft voice whispered. She held Anna’s wrists, providing gentle strenght. "Let me help you, please,"
Anna nodded. With Bella holding her wrists, she focused on getting her spores out. They spluttered a faint pink, before turning watery yellow and back to pink again.
Please. Please just turn yellow. I need to save him!
Slowly, her spores materialized. They got thicker, and their sweet scent headier.
But Anna knew they wouldn’t hold on long.
She was utterly depleted. Her body was not in good shape, nor was her mind.
Gritting her teeth, she forced her spores to flow even harder, focusing them on the palm of her hands and blasting them at Ray.
Please.
Please.
Fuck! Please wake up!
He moved. His eyes squeezed together and a soft groan of pain came from his throat.
Anna gasped, her eyes widening "oh my goodness! Ray! Can you hear me?! Ray—"
Suddenly, the doors of the ward slammed wide open with violent thud.
"Your highness!" A medic burst into the room, his face soaked with sweat, pale and horrified. "You need to come immediately! Please! It’s the General. His corruption has flared again and he’s going feral! He just...he just hurt a nurse! Please!"
The words hit Anna like a physical blow.
She frose. Her hands over Ray’s chest lowered, and her spores which were burning bright yellow flicked to purple.
Ray groaned again, turning his head.
Anna jumped back, horrified that she’d almost undone the little healing she did. Bella caught her, holding firmly only her.
"I can’t..." Anna gasped, shaking her head
"Please... you’re the only one that can help..." the medic openly sobbed. It was then Anna noticed the blood on his clothes. Blood that most likely wasn’t his.
She looked at Ray’s face still drawn in pain, then at the yellow spores fading around him. Then back at the medic.
In the distance, she heard a familiar roar.
A sob of frustration burst out of her. Across the distance, her eyes met with Azul’s, a beat of silent agreement passed between them.
