Rosalind took slow deep breaths. Something terrible has happened. Her belly was on fire. The room swam, blurry and wavering, behind her teary eyes. Sounds seemed to burst on her ears at random.
“Rosalind?” Her father’s voice cut through the dizzying mess of sensory information.
“Papa?” She moved her head slowly to the side and took in a blurry shape that vaguely resembled her father. The sight made her dizzy, and she squeezed her eyelids shut again.
“Yes, princess. I’m here.” A warm hand closed around hers.
She squeezed the fingers hard.
“Can you open your eyes?”
She did, and this time the room and her father’s face looked normal. “It hurts,” she said, her voice drifting into a whimper.
“I know. The doctor will give you some medicine.”
“What happened?” she slurred.
“You had an ope
