CHAPTER 144

Sofia

The pain proves I’m alive. Dagger’s voice keeps me that way. He tells me I’m in the hospital. He tells me he loves me. I can’t open my eyes and I can’t feel my body. It scares me. I focus on my feet and move them a few inches.

“Relax, princess.” He’s holding my hand. “You have bandages on your face and covering one eye. Your other is still swollen shut. I’ve got you. The doctors and nurses are wonderful and they’ve taken good care of you.”

I focus some more and squeeze his fingers.

I hear another voice, a woman. “We can give you more pain medicine if you need it. Let’s try one finger for yes and two for no.”

Dagger releases my hand and I concentrate. Two for no. My brain finally connects to two fingers and I move them.

“I think she needs the medicine,” Dagger says.

“We’ll give her a little time and then give the injection. She understands what we’re asking and that’s the main thing. Let her judge her pain.”

Dagger’s rough skin wraps around my hand again. “That nurse is as stubbo