Chapter 8Every time Mal woke up, Christian was waiting for him. She worked silently, changing the bandage on his hand, bathing his swollen face, checking the splint on his leg, helping him eat warm broth and swallow cool water. She only spoke when she had to, but Mal didn’t mind the silence. Her presence, a stable constant, was enough for him.
Sometimes when Mal woke, Christian wasn’t alone. Mercy hovered near her side, as quiet and watchful as her older sister. Every once in a while, he needed to see the younger girl more than he needed to see Christian, if only to reassure himself that he had saved her. His dreams were muddled and vivid. Mal couldn’t always be sure what happened, or when.
At some point, he caught a fever. This endless period was marked by Christian’s cool touch, and on
