79.

Aiden's POV:

I slipped in and out of consciousness, the world a hazy blend of voices and faces. Whispers reached my ears, fragmented and distant, yet somehow familiar.

And there was the throbbing pain coming from my left side—insistent and blindingly painful.

Amidst the murmur of concerns and reassurances, Lily's face kept slipping in and out of my line of vision.

"Lily," I mumbled, the sound escaping my lips without my conscious effort. Even whispering her name took a lot of my effort.

I saw her, a vision of worry etched across her features. Her lips moved, forming words that I struggled to comprehend. Every attempt to focus on her voice felt like grasping at vapor.

Inconsequential.

The room around me shifted as well, forming different blends of muted colors and vague shapes. Unclear images in white dresses moved with purpose, their dialogue blending into one another and becoming noises in my head. My consciousness swayed on the edge of awareness, but I was never truly there.

"Lily.