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ARIA

Aria lurched upright, the echo of gunshots ringing in her ears

Disoriented, she blinked at her surroundings, taking in the canvas walls, the two bed pallets, and the stack of battered storage trunks, finally recognizing Perry’s tent

Pain pulsed steadily in her right are wrapped fro in her stomach

A Guardian had shot her in Reverie

She licked her dry lips, tasting the bitterness of pain medication Just try it, she told herself How hard could it be?

Aches stabbed deep in her bicep as she tried to htest twitch It was like her e vanishing so her arm

Cli for a wave of dizziness to pass She’d coo, and hadn’t left since But she couldn’t stay there a second longer What was the point, if she wasn’t getting better?

Her boots sat on top of one of the trunks Detere one-handed “Stupid things,” shea burn

“Oh, don’t blame the poor boots ”

Molly, the tribe healer, stepped through the tent flaps with a la like Aria’s mother had, but they had similar demeanors Steady and dependable

Aria ja like an audience to htened

Molly set the lamp down on the trunks and came over “Are you sure you should be up and about?”

Aria swept her hair behind her ear and tried to slow her breathing Cold sweat had broken out along her neck “I’er ”