14

She tossed and turned in the little space she laid down. Her hands gripped her lower abdomen tight. She was in pain. Full pain. Her face contorted in agony. It felt like every part of her constricted and all she wanted to do was free it. Sweats beaded on her forehead as her eyes darted in their sockets, still closed. This has never happened to her before. Her throat kept bobbing and she did not want to wake up because she slept really late the night before. After Cassandra had pulled her usual trick, she had to redo her chores thrice.

Slowly, ever slowly, the pain began to subside and her hands loosened. Her shoulders relaxed and she fell into her beautiful slumber.

• • • • • •

A kick and a yell made Nyx jerk up from her sleep. Her eyes were still hazy from her sleep but as she glanced around, the pain from the kick slowly began to register, and she instantly gripped her rib tight with a painful wince.

"Are you blind?" Cassandra's hiss tore through the air and she raised her gaze to me