212 Chapter 212

Night came and I found myself once more in a turret of coils, shivering so hard my entire body hurt. I had been much too long in the water. Trees, wide and tall, stood sentry about us. The canopy was thick, blocking out the light of the stars and moon.

But, for the first time, I felt present. I felt aware. I felt soothed.

Even though I was shivering, Poseidon was warm and I could feel my muscles slowly easing into it. His occasional 'prrbts' comforted me in a way I hadn't known I needed. I felt like I was waking up from a very long, very deep nightmare.

"Where was I?" I asked to the darkness.

At the sound of my voice, Poseidon perked up his head and trilled, low and soft like an exterior purr.

I rubbed my eyes hard. The confusion was making my head hurt.

And then I was crying. Deep guttural sobs, as though the wound they come from festered near the bottom of my gut.