Page 176 of Change

Chapter Thirty

Bianca

Silence

I thought I’d died. There’d been no other explanation for waking up with the smell of freshly washed linen and the feel of silk under my skin. I’d been tricked too many times in the past—this could only be heaven.

But naked cherub people stared down at me from the ceiling, and I knew instantly that I was in my room.

Besides, a real angel wouldn’t look so innocent. From every account that I’d read, they had multiple eyes, misshapen faces, and were truly a terror to behold.

I’d always gathered that was kind of the point of being a heavenly being. Why wouldn’t youwantto look intimidating beyond words?

But, still, how…

Then recollection of the last few moments of my consciousness replayed in my mind, and it was safe to assume that Titus had brought me here.

“Bianca?” Julian’s sleepy voice cut through my confusion, and he moved beside me, bare legs and torso pressing against my skin as he pulled himself up, resting against my headboard. He leaned over me, touching my face, trying to search my expression as he asked, “You’re awake? How are you feeling?” he asked, though, surely, he already knew.

My attention shifted down to my fingers, where it lingered. My manicure was a complete mess. Almost all of my polish had chipped off and the majority of my nails were broken or chipped. I was no longer dirty. My skin had been scrubbed to a light pink. All other traces of my imprisonment vanished. And my hair no longer felt disgusting. Plus, I’d been changed into one of my lighter, lacier shifts.

They didn’t hire someone again, did they? I flipped my hand over—the cuticles were even clean. I didn’t think she’d be so thorough.

“I gave you a bath,” Julian said without even a hint of embarrassment or apology. “I couldn’t leave you, so it made sense.”

Julian gave me a bath?

I was too far removed to be embarrassed. In fact, I wasn’t feeling much of anything at all. My body felt foreign and strange, and my hands were like someone else’s.

“Hey.” Julian scooted closer until he was on his side, eye-level with me. His face was tense, and his voice imploring. “How do you feel?” he asked again, tracing his fingers down my outer arm.

My skin prickled where he touched me, but I could only watch him in silence. For some reason I couldn’t shake the numbness that cloaked my thoughts, and it was impossible to gather the drive to reply.

His expression fell deeper into sadness. “Can you talk to me?”

Even though I was distantly aware that I probablyshouldsay something and did feel sorry that he felt so sad, I couldn’t muster the effort.

“Okay.” Julian didn’t break eye-contact as he reached above his pillow, grabbing his phone. “That’s okay,” he said again.

It wasn’t okay, though. He was really upset—and worried.

He barely looked away as he typed, and when he was done, he set his phone down. “My mom is coming,” he said. “And so is Gregory. They’re just going to confirm that you’re doing better.”

I blinked at him, unsure why he was even bothering to tell me. It wasn’t like anyone cared what I wanted anyway.

“Bianca…” He sighed, sitting up again. This time he pulled me into his lap, and I rested my head against him. His heart was beating so fast, and I snuggled closer, trying to keep the rest of the world at bay.

I didn’t want anyone else near me. I just wanted to be left alone.

But then my stomach twisted at the thought, because I wanted Miles, Titus, and Damen too.

Where were they?

There was a knock at the door, and Julian grunted out a soft reply before Dr. Kohler and Uncle Gregory entered the room. They looked frazzled and tired: Dr. Kohler’s usually clean-cut clothes were wrinkled, and Uncle Gregory had bags under his eyes.

That wasn’t good. They should probably get some sleep.

Uncle Gregory remained standing near the door as Dr. Kohler crossed the room. She threw me a bright—but obviously forced—smile as she stood at the side of the bed. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” she joked.