Chapter 25

With evil trolls drilling into her skull and her tongue plastered to the roof of her mouth, Olivia pried her eyes open. Sunlight scorched her retinas and she winced. Moaned.

Clothing rustled. "Hebe. Welcome back, little red."

She moaned again and squinted at Nakos. "Hi." Head pounding, she glanced around, trying to focus through the heavy dregs of sleep. Her bedroom. Okay. How'd she get here? Why was she in bed? "What time is it?"

"Noon." The mattress dipped with his weight. Sitting by her hip, he swept his concerned gaze over her. "You've been out cold for a couple days."

"What?" She tried to sit and a wave of nausea churned in her belly.

He set a hand on her shoulder, heavy and warm, easing her back. "Relax. You've got eight stitches in your head and finally broke a fever last night. That's not accounting for the concussion."

That's right. She'd hit her head by the creek. She had a vague recollection of Hank visiting, plus a steady stream of Aunt Mae, Nakos, and Amy waking her