I woke to pain. Not the sharp, immediate pain of injury, this was deeper. My hips throbbed, my jaw hurt, my throat was raw, and between my legs felt like I'd been split in half.
Worth it, some traitorous part of my brain whispered.
I tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. Every muscle screamed in protest, and I collapsed back onto the pillows with a groan.
"Easy," a gentle voice said.
I turned my head carefully to find Osilus sitting in a chair beside the bed. He looked tired, like he hadn't slept, but his expression was soft with concern.
"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice coming out as a croak.
"About six hours," he said, standing and moving to the bed. "It's early afternoon. How do you feel?"
"Like I was run over by a truck," I admitted. "Or three very determined were
