**Clint**
As Enya tried to use magic to heal Avery, I paced near the doorway. Cassius went to get her adoptive parents. We are going to let them stay the weekend with her. If we are why she nearly died, it is the least we can do. Conner and I watched helplessly as Enya tried to prevent Avery from going into shock to keep her organs from failing. When Enya rushed out of the room and returned with several bags of blood, I fell to my knees. What if we were too late?
I know that Avery is in the hands of the most experienced healer in our kingdom, but I still worry. Enya spent almost a decade in the human world learning how to treat humans, but what if even that is not enough and Avery slips into a coma?
I turn my head when I feel Cassius's hand on my shoulder, "Brother, we found her and got her here. Enya is the best and Avery will pull through."
I wish that I had his confidence, but I don't. When I look at Avery lying so still, I picture my parents in their coffins. When I looked up, June slapped me. "Your parents swore that she would be safe. They would be as disappointed as I am," she said, as she put her right hand to her side. I suppose I deserved that. I merely nodded to her. I have no words that could explain how I feel right now. My brothers and I should have kept being assholes to her because it kept her safe.
"Tell me that you know who is responsible," Anton says.
"We might, but we can't be certain, and we don't know how the drug they gave her will affect her memory. Those responsible will pay. You have my word as your future king," Cassius said. He is right, because when we healed her open wounds, we tasted the drugs. They gave her enough to wipe any human's short-term memory. I just hope that it won't cause an OD or other significant damage to her body.
When Avery first came to Naga, my brothers and I lashed out and kept doing it for a few years until after our parents died. Honestly, I started to feel bad about it after we had Conner drop her off in the woods, and I think Conner did too. We should have stood up to Cassius, but we didn't because he is the oldest, granted, not by much, but in our culture and tribe, it matters.
I sigh as I watch everyone leave Avery's room as her adoptive parents sit vigil, one on each side of her bed. June and Anton are good people, and such a strong couple, but they were never blessed with offspring until they brought Avery here. I nodded goodbye to them and went to my room. I am dreading Monday. How am I going to look at Lenore and pretend that I don't know that she had a hand in doing this?
**Avery**
When I was in death's grasp, I felt so cold and alone. Then I felt warmth and the sensation of flying. At first, I thought that this must be how angels feel, but then I realized that no god would make me an angel. In the darkness, I heard muffled voices and felt hands move my hair off of my face. I felt cherished as I drifted off to sleep.
In my dream, it took place when I was three. It was nightfall and I was asleep in my mother's arms as my father led the way through the woods. There was rustling in the canopy of the dense trees. Suddenly, loud thumps came from all around. My father tried to shield us as several dragons surrounded us. Everything grew hazy, and I couldn't see what was happening. I heard growls, roars, and thumps. I smelled burnt flesh and the acrid smell of blood. Then the scene became clearer. I saw my young self covered in blood, clinging to what was left of my parents. Did dragons kill my parents? Why didn't they kill me, too?
I don't know how long the dream was or how long I had slept, but when I awoke, sunlight was streaming through my bedroom windows. My head was pounding and my throat was dry. I blinked several times, trying to adjust to the brightness. On either side of my bed sat June and Anton. They were each holding one of my hands as they slept. How did I get here? Why were they here; not that I am not happy to see them, but why?
"Momma, Poppa," I croak, my voice hoarse, and my throat incredibly dry. Their heads snap up at the raspy sound of my voice.
"Thank goodness, you are awake. We need to go get Enya. You must be thirsty, too, so we will bring you something," June said, as she kissed my forehead and Anton lightly squeezed my hand before they left.
Not long afterward, I saw Clint peering through the crack of my door. "You can come in," I say shakily.
He comes in but stands near the door. Deciding to not waste this opportunity, I ask, "I know what happened to me. Why am I all healed so quickly, and how did I get back here?"
A wash of emotions crosses his face and it appears that he's having difficulty picking one. "You don't need to relive it and tell us, Avery. You need to rest. As for how you got here, it does not matter, only that you are here, does and that you are safe."
He's back to being his usual elusive self. He is either ignoring my question on purpose or he is just being cruel because he must know. Just as he must know that his girl, Lenore, left me for dead. One of The Trio had to have found me, or at the very least, talked to the person who did. When I feel better, I will start my own investigation, but I know that I can't seek the justice I want against The Hoity-toity Hags. I will just have to wait for Lady Karma to take her pound of flesh. I have been waiting a good portion of my life, so what is a few more days?