The cold antiseptic air clung to Aria’s lungs like poison.
“She might not make it through the night.”
The doctor’s words echoed as if trapped inside her skull, bouncing off every wall of her mind. She stood frozen in place, her hand still clasped around the edge of the hospital counter, knuckles pale.
Knox was silent beside her, face unreadable, but the storm gathering behind his eyes was unmistakable.
“She was drugged. There’s evidence of blunt force trauma. We’ve stopped the bleeding, but her blood pressure is dangerously low. If she makes it through the next few hours…” the doctor trailed off, but the rest didn’t need to be said.
“She’s strong,” Aria managed, her voice hoarse. “She’s going to make it.”
They were allowed in—ten minutes only, no more.
Knox followed her into the roo
