“Oh, Doctor Waterborn.” The shorter of the two nurses, Megan, turned around. The blonde human smiled, the skin around her eyes wrinkling. “It’s great that you’re here! I was just about to call you.”
Megan specialized in the Stillness, and she had worked with Cyrus for over three years as his primary caregiver.
River’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong? Dad, is he…”
A gentle hand landed on her arm, the touch reassuring. Megan said kindly, “He’s fine.”
The words should’ve calmed her down, but her heart was still racing in her chest. “Are you sure?” River placed her palm over her thundering organ, willing it to slow. “I thought… the air had shifted, and…”
I thought he died.
The words echoed through her mind, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them. She wasn’t ready to lose her father, wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
She’d never be ready.
“No, there’s nothing to be worried about,” Megan reassured her.
“In fact, you arrived at the perfect time.” This came from the other nurse, Serena. River wasn’t as familiar with her, but judging by her pointed ears and the red markings crawling up her neck, she was a Death Elf. “We were just about to call Representative Waterborn, but this is better. Now, he won’t have to wait.”
River’s eyes widened, and her gaze flew to her father’s closed door. “You mean?—”
“Your father is alert, Doctor Waterborn.” Megan’s voicewas soft, and her smile widened. “We aren’t entirely sure what happened, but sometimes, patients in late stages of the Stillness have been known to experience brief moments of consciousness.”
“I was just coming to give him an injection when I found him awake,” Serena added softly.
River barely heard the last sentence. She was already moving, the door handle was already turning beneath her touch, and she was stepping inside her father’s room. She thought she heard one of the nurses say they would call Tertia, but their words barely registered.
The only thing she could see, the only thing she could focus on, were the light brown eyes blinking up at her from the hospital bed. Eyes that were mirrors of her own and had been empty of life for far too long.
A warped, choked sob wrenched its way out of her throat. Tears flooded her eyes, but she made no move to stop them.
“Daddy?” she whispered.
River had no idea how this was happening, no idea what had brought this about, but it turned out she didn’t care. Honestly, it didn’t matter. How could it, when this was everything she had ever dreamed of? She’d spent hours on her knees, begging Dyna for a miracle. She’d read every piece of literature about the Stillness, every case study, and every single doctor’s entry, no matter how long or short.
Everything she’d done had been with the hope that one day, her father would look at her with recognition in his eyes once more.
And now…
Now Cyrus’s lips, the same ones that had been still for so long, were inching up. The smile was small, and his skin wasunnaturally pale, but the expression was unmistakable. His eyes lit up, and he…
Hesawher.
Waves of heat flooded her chest, and by the Blessed Obsidian Sands, it was the best feeling she’d ever experienced. She’d never been so happy… or at least, that’s what she thought.
Then Cyrus opened his mouth, and River realized this day was far better than she could’ve ever imagined.
“My darling girl,” her father breathed.
His barely audible voice was raspy from disuse, but River heard the words as though he’d shouted them at her. Nearly two years had passed since she’d last heard her father speak during the dinner where Ryker introduced Brynleigh to the family.
Her cheeks were damp, but she made no effort to wipe away her tears. She didn’t want to move at all, in case this was a dream.
Maybe none of this was real. Maybe Nikhail hadn’t given her the necklace. Maybe he hadn’t kissed her. Maybe the party hadn’t even happened yet.
If this was nothing but a dream, it was the most incredible one she’d ever had. It felt so real that she couldn’t imagine this being fake.
But what if it was? What if this was nothing but her overactive imagination? An anxiety-fueled dream? What if she’d just wished for this so long that her mind had decided to appease her delusions by giving her this gift?