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"You&039;re awake"

Was she awake? Aria took stock of her body as she tried to figure out exactly what had happened She blinked at the ceiling, an actual ceiling; she couldn&039;t quite re over her head Where was she? She turned her head slowly, her muscles throbbed; she felt drained, tired and a little nauseous William blurred before her, there were two of him at first but the more she blinked the clearer he became

"I am," she confirhtly upon her upper arm "You had me worried"

Her throat was dry, it was difficult to s but she finally ed to form words "I feel awful," she admitted

"That&039;s because you almost died, and you would have" Williaaze drifted somewhere behind her

"Williaave you sousted as awed

Aria sighed, she wanted to stay where she anted to lie on the cool floor forever, but she had a feeling she had been out for awhile It was ti William lurched aardly forward as she braced herself on her forearh her, she nearly fell back to the ground but he grabbed hold of her and helped her into a seated position She sat for aas the copper taste that preceded vo heavily as she struggled to keep her sto

After a few ain enough control to realize she was not going to toss the er contents of her stomach all over the floor William looked like he was about to cry, his hand on her back had begun to shake, and she had never seen a look of such abject terror on his face Not even when their mother had been killed Then, they&039;d had no time to react, and had been too shocked and horrified to show any real eonize about what had happened, and what ht become of her

"I&039; to reassure hith, but it seemed weak even to her "Just a little disoriented But that&039;s better than the alternative"

She&039;d hoped to elicit a chuckle from him, he only stared stone faced back at her "The blood"

"He&039;s given it to aze darted behind her again as he leaned closer "But won&039;t it, you know"

Aria frowned at him She started to shake her head but realized theon another bout of nausea She forced herself to remain still as she sed heavily "No I don&039;t know I&039;m not entirely sure how that all works"

"You&039;ve never discussed it?"

She lifted her hand slowly; tre as she wiped a strand of hair back from her face "Not that part"

"Huh, I had assumed that you had" William sat back on his heels; his eyes inquisitive as he studied her

"William?" she asked worriedly

"He really does love you"

Aria started in surprise "Did you think he didn&039;t?"

He shrugged; his fingers tapping against the floor alerted Aria to the fact that it was not solid wood beneath her, but worn carpet The carpet was beneath her too, but she couldn&039;t feel it as her fingers were so not to have the full sensation of touch She hoped the numbness went away soon "I don&039;t knohat to think," William admitted "I&039;d like to believe it, but it&039;s all really strange Aria"

She wasn&039;t going to argue with that "But seeing him today, the way he ith you, I don&039;t doubt it anylared at hi ed a smile for her "You had me worried kid"

"You&039;re all of an hour older than lorious hour of solitude," he quipped

"Jerk"

"Brat"

She aardly embraced him with her injured arms "Where is Braith?"

Williaaze traveled to her wrapped arret twisted her insides "This is difficult for them"

"It&039;s difficult for all of us"

She tilted her head, her heart picked up as her body instinctively began to react "HelpWillia down"

"How do you know that?"

"I just do, please Williaainst it as he slid his ar her when Braith appeared in the doorway A id, but those hated glasses were in place so she was unable to see his eyes, unable to get a read on what he was really thinking, what he intended

"It&039;s ok Willia that her brother was hesitant to leave them alone as Braith see slowly and leaving them Braith&039;s broad shoulders almost filled the entire doorframe as he watched her in silence Aria sed nervously, shifting slightly as she tried to gather what little strength she had left

"You&039;re not sendingher Braith was not the strong, silent type When he was angry or when he was upset or frustrated, he didn&039;t hide it, especially not with her "You&039;re not going to stash ly

"But you said before that you should have left " She didn&039;t knohat to say "You nearly died"

"I&039;m fine"