The World as it Should Be

LERRIN

He woke to the morning light peeking in through the high window and laid very still. His body hummed with pain that he knew would be worse the moment he moved. But he could smell Suhle. Was she still here?

Bracing himself, he pushed with his arm to roll over and groaned from the jagged pain that cut across his stomach and shoulder.

His head spun and he swallowed back nausea when he'd rolled over.

No Suhle. But the blanket behind him still smelled like her. She must have left recently.

The guards let her stay?

His heart dropped. Would she return? Why had she left? Was she okay?

Focusing on what he could control, he closed his eyes and took several deep, slow breaths, wincing when his ribs screamed as the breaths expanded his chest.