TWENTY-FOUR

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A cotton blanket.

A warm bed.

And a hand wrapped around mine.

I woke to birds chirping. Blinking a few times, I squinted into the daylight, my eyelids heavy. They fell again a few moments later as I tried my best to suffocate the aches in my jaw with slumber.

Only when someone pressed their lips to my forehead did my eyes flutter open.

“Nanette?”

That voice pulled me out of my fatigue. Ryon sat in a chair across from me, his hair and beard untrimmed, his skin pale, and his body composed of skin and bones.

I opened my mouth to say his name, but he held a finger to my lips, his voice raspy. “Don’t speak. You’re healing.”

My mouth fell closed.

“Captain Cordova really messed up your tongue. The apothecary said you should be able to speak again, but it might take time.” He stroked back my hair. “But you’re okay.”

Tears started forming in my eyes. Ryon pulled me close, holding me against his chest, whispering words of affirmation into my hair. I gripped his shirt. Was he okay? How did he get out? When? Did it matter? How long had I been asleep?

Ryon knew me well, though, and the answers came in haste. “Marietta and Elodie bought my freedom right after the events in the tavern. Marietta even negotiated my bail down slightly. They got me to the apothecary quick to deal with my sugar disease—the Guard found my vials and wasn’t happy. But it’s okay. I’m okay now. Without Marietta and Elodie…I don’t know what would have happened to both of us.”

I went to speak, but he stopped me again.

“We’ll repay them, don’t worry. But they had to get me out. You…you lost a lot of blood. They weren’t sure if you would make it…” His eyes grew heavy. “You were feverish when they brought me back, and you kept declining. But the apothecary tried a tonic that helped with the infection. Your fever broke yesterday. And…and now you’re gonna be okay. We’re gonna be okay.”

Tears welled in his eyes. I cupped his face and pressed my forehead to his, holding him there as his body quivered. My lips betrayed me. I wanted to speak, to tell him it was okay.

“I love you, Nan,” he mumbled. “Once you’re better, we should get married. Then we can close this damn tavern and—”

I shook my head.

“You…you want to keep it open?”

I nodded.

“What…why? After everything?”

I nodded again and glanced around my bedroom. This was home now. This was what I wanted to do.

Ryon half-smiled and squeezed my fingers. “I’m glad this hasn’t dampened your spirits.”

I grimaced in my attempt to smile. All I wanted was to stare at Ryon. His fingers trembled as he held me, his body moving like a living skeleton. He had sat beside me for days, but I hadn’t seen him in weeks.

I thought I would never see him again.

We huddled together in silence for a while, communicating through our twisted hands and pressed forehead. Ryon usually spoke so much, but defeat made a clear home on his face. It would take a long time for him to reflect on his time in the Pit. Whatever happened, that was his story to tell. Not mine to force.

Marietta interrupted us with a knock on the door. “Oh, I am happy to see you awake, Nanette. I’ll have to send word to the apothecary.” She placed a tray on my lap covered with… mashed foods.

I gagged.

“I know you hate this stuff, but it’s all you can eat right now, alright?” Ryon picked up a spoonful of mashed potatoes. “Open up.”

I snatched the spoon from him and shoved the disgusting potatoes in my mouth.

Marietta beamed. “I really am relieved you’re okay. As soon as we heard about the raids, you should have seen Elodie! She perked up out of her stupor and opened all her old law books. She found all those statutes and cases on her own. Really, she wanted to avoid any altercations with the Guard, which is why she warned you… but I guess it was too late.”

I wanted to say it was my fault, I was stubborn, and I should have listened. But all I could do was bow my head in defeat.

Marietta continued, “We’ve been staying here for the past week while you healed. Ryon here was an utter clod during the first couple days!”

Ryon glared at Marietta.

I placed my spoon down and ran my fingers over Ryon’s arm. His shoulders relaxed.

“I’m glad you two are okay. Please tell me if you need anything.” Marietta said before leaving us alone again.

My thoughts raced more as our silence continued. I wanted to talk with Ryon, to have a conversation, to get him going on an obscure topic. All we had right now was the disgusting mashed meal Marietta prepared. Sure, it probably tasted fine. At least until she mashed it!

Ryon kept laughing at my expressions. The food dribbled from my mouth as I tried to eat, my tongue unable to guide it. How long until my tongue was normal? I think I missed eating more than talking.

 Finally, Ryon spoke as I finished eating. “I never stopped thinking about you while I was in the Pit. It helped when you visited, but there wasn’t anything much to do. They hadn’t assigned me work yet, and no one really talks much at all. I dunno... It was so depressing and worn down and…” He sighed. “It was boring.”

I chuckled. Only Ryon Barnes would think being imprisoned was boring!

“I didn’t even have anything to read!”

I kept laughing. Such a silly man!

“Stop it!” He pouted, only further expediting my laughter. Eventually, a noise reminiscent of a donkey escaped my lips, and Ryon joined in my amusement.

But the noise attracted the attention of another.

“You shouldn’t be getting her excited, Mr. Barnes,” Elodie stood in the door with her arms crossed.

I glanced at her.

“Hi Nan,” she smiled, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

There was so much I yearned to say to Elodie. “Thank you,” “I’m sorry,” “I don’t deserve such an amazing sister,” and “I love you,” just to name a few.

But now was Elodie’s turn to speak.

“Mr. Barnes… could I speak with Nanette… alone?” Elodie asked.

Ryon glanced at me, and I nodded. He released my fingers, then vanished into the hallway. I had a feeling he wouldn’t go far, though.

Elodie paced around the room, then sat at the foot of my bed. She scowled at the remaining mashed dinner on my tray. “Ew.”

I tried to smile.

“It reminds me of Ma’s weird casserole she made. It always stunk.”

Ah yes, her famous casserole. I forgot about that. I remembered the way its flavors and stenches waffled through our small home in Stilette. Elodie and I would run out of the house, playing in the streets for hours, hoping that by the time we got home, the meal would have gone bad.

We often failed. Ma knew our game.

Elodie’s scowl vanished, her face softer. “Nanette, I’m so sorry. I should have trusted you over the words of the Order.”

I dismissed her with my hand.

“No, no, I should have. You’re my sister. I just so desperately wanted to fit into the Capitol. But… in doing so, I abandoned my family.” She wiped her eyes. “It was pure chance that I overheard about the raids. I was at the Temple, and I wanted Elder Vic Tor to bless Lester. As I approached, I overhead him talking with his brother about the rumored storytelling bars. And… well… I had to warn you. I really thought I could convince you to close, but I didn’t know they had already planted someone in the mess. Maybe if I came sooner…”

I held up my hand. Elodie couldn’t blame herself for this. I wouldn’t hear of it.

She met my gaze. “Lester didn’t want to go to bed. I wanted to come sooner to help, but…”

Words continued to fail me. Instead, I tapped the tabletop.

.- .-.... ...- .

Alive.

Elodie stared at me, the cogs in her brain turning. “Yes, you are alive. But—”

I tapped the word again. If she hadn’t shown up, I’d be dead. I would have bled out of my mouth, dying with stories on my tongue.

She needed to understand. 

“Alive…” Elodie recited. “I saved you?”

I nodded.

“Nanette…” She took my hands. “I…I want to be a family. I really do. After this scare...I cannot believe how I treated you. And I can learn to accept Mr. Barnes—Ryon. He cares for you so much. I can tell. So please, let me be in your life again.”

I wanted to say how the fault belonged to both of us. 

So, I responded the only way I could.

I pulled her close and hugged her tight.