Chapter 37: Control
I awake later to a quiet room, candlelight flickering on either side of me. I slowly begin to recognize the ornately decorated space as my eyes pan over to the fireplace, with its intermittent crackling of freshly cut wood. I'm still in the house. This is Atticus's room. But where is he? And why did he make me sleep again? Panic rises in my stomach and I have to breathe quickly to get any of air. I'm either dying or hyperventilating and now the room is starting to spin. I jerk up on my elbows, attempting to stop whatever is happening to me.
"Hello, Candice," he says, right on cue, still wearing the same clothes from the portrait. He pauses and comes closer, as if he knows I'm on the verge of a full on panic attack. He raises his hand over my head and then closes his eyes. The panic and struggle for air has been replaced with calm as I take a soothing deep breath.
"Better?" he asks, smiling down at me.