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Malia

Space? Space? I don’t want space.

I want to be held by Keahi until I feel like myself again.

But I can’t, I know I can’t. Not yet. Once this whole mess is sorted out, I will.

We will get our happy ending and nothing can stop that.

Not my parents.

Not Flint. Not anyone else. Hell, not even either of us because it’s written in the stars, and it’s been proven again and again. No matter what’s placed in our way, we get past it and find our way back to each other. Always have, always will.

As I walk the rest of the way to the academy, it feels like I left something of myself behind.

Part of me is still in that house, and every fiber of my body wants to go back and collect it.

I finally reach the door to my cell, to find it no longer locked. Progress.

I’m looking forward to finally lying down to get my head to stop spinning and my strained muscles to relax.

The exhaustion I’ve felt after healing Keahi has only slightly worn off after my short nap, and I can barely stay up on my two feet.

My source still feels smaller than usual, quieter, which I’ve never heard of before.

It’ll probably grow back once I get some sleep and food.

I’m sure it will.

"And here I thought you bailed on me and ran off." Flint is sitting on my bed, apparently waiting for me.

Please, not now.

I don’t think I could open my mouth to answer him even if I tried, but thankfully, I don’t have to.

Once Flint gets a good look at me, he jumps to his feet, every bit of humor draining from his features as he stands before me.

"What happened to you?" he asks- worriedly? I’m not sure.

The drowsiness makes it hard to classify his expression and my mind is too occupied with the need for sleep to ponder anything else.

I try to move past him, but my knees decide to give up on me at that moment, and the only thing keeping me from hitting the ground are Flint’s hands with a firm grip on my arms.

"Woah there, what on earth is wrong? Are you hurt? Is that your blood?" Flint keeps talking too fast, and my brain barely keeps up with him.

I just shake my head as best I can.

I think I’m lying on my bed now. Flint must’ve carried me over, although it feels more like I’m flying.

"Malia, talk to me," he tries, but I shake my head again.

"Sleep," I say.

Try to say, at least.

It’s possible I just moved my lips, and no sound came out at all. I finally close my eyes only to have Flint shaking my shoulders urgently.

"No.

No sleep, Malia, sit back up and keep your eyes open until I can get a nurse here! Where on earth have you been and what happened? Did you accept a drink from anyone again?" He’s still shaking my shoulders and talking to me, but I zone that all out and finally fall asleep, not a worry in my mind.

It’s dark at first.

I can’t see, hear, or feel a thing.

I can’t even tell if I’m standing or touching the ground at all. It feels like I’m floating. I try to move my arm, and yep, definitely in water.

I don’t know how I got here.

Pretty sure I fell asleep just a second ago and that was certainly on firm ground.

Or, well, my bed. It’s not like I can’t breathe either. I’m unusually comfortable for not being able to use any of my senses. My conclusion, this is some sort of dream.

I’ve never had a dream like this before, but I won’t complain.

If I could, I’d stay here forever.

Nothing’s disturbing the peaceful quiet, no one wants anything from me, and I don’t have to hide or run from everyone. Right now, I just am.

I’m not sure how long I am, but at some point, a faint sound starts to get through to me.

No, please don’t let it be the next morning already.

It feels like I just got here.

The sound gets louder and keeps repeating itself.

Always the same damn beep in the same rhythm.

I groan and try to wake myself up.

My eyelids are so damn heavy, but I force them open since that obnoxious beep is still penetrating my ears, drilling into my brain.

Finally, another sound comes through to me.

"Malia? She’s awake! She’s waking up! Malia, can you hear me?" First off, why does it feel like my ears are clogged? Second, why is this person yelling about me being awake? Like yeah, genius, that’s what tends to happen when someone goes to sleep.

Third, who on earth is this person and why are they in my room?

My eyes are still closed, and I don’t recognize the voice over whatever is limiting my hearing.

If I’m wherever on earth I am with some stranger, I really need to wake up, I guess.

I can also see I’m somewhere bright through my eyelids, so it’s probably day anyway.

"Malia, can you hear me?" the voice asks again, this time from nearby.

That voice- I know that voice!

"Princess, please open your eyes."