Chapter 51

My eyes open slowly, painfully, as if the movement itself hurts. But it is the reality of life that I really want to avoid.

The first thing I see after a moment of dizziness is a man with dark black hair. He looks at me warmly, smiling as I begin to cough and sit up. "There, there," he gently pats my hand, "not too fast.

"Who are you?" I ask him in the midst of my coughing.

He just looks at me, putting a large hand under my head. He gently flips a switch and the bed reclines to a sitting position. "I'm Legarius," he replies, grabbing a small cup of water. "Are you thirsty?"

I think back to the first night I met Xavier, who had whispered the same words. Pain and loss strike as I dig through the meager memories, trying to salvage what beauty remains.

"Where's Xavier?" I ask urgently, my heart rate quickening. Horror runs through me at the memory of the Council's words from the day