Page 131 of Hidden

My heart fell, and I prayed with every fiber of my being that my suspicions were wrong.

But I doubted I was.

“You don’t think…” Brayden began, his voice unsure.

“Alyssa died right after Bianca was born.” I ran my hand over my face. How could we not have guessed this? “There’s a high possibility that the first spirit Bianca ever encountered was her own mother’s.”

“I’m glad you called me.” Dr. Kohler stepped from the room, closing Bianca’s bedroom door behind her. Julian remained inside—much to my everlasting annoyance—while the rest of us, including Miles and Titus, had been sequestered in the hallway.

I’d been excluded in my own home. It was difficult to not take offense. But this was more important—

“What do you think?” I asked, pushing myself from the wall.

She shot me a derisive look. “Damen, I know you’ve seen catatonic patients before. The study of psychological disorders is one of Gregory’s specialties.”

“I know that!” My face heated, and I ignored the looks the others gave me. “I just pay attention to—”

“The parts that interest you.” She sighed. “I know.”

“That’s not what I meant!” I protested. “I know what dissociation looks like. I just didn’t want to assume…”

“You’d be right to assume,” she said, her expression troubled. “She’s suffering from a severe dissociative episode. It’s been two hours, and right now, she’s not responding to any external stimuli.” Dr. Kohler turned to Bryce. “If the situation doesn’t change, I’m going to insist that she go to the hospital.”

“You can’t do that!” Titus and Miles had moved to protest, but I spoke up first. I felt sick at the thought. “She’s scared of hospitals. Especially after what happened last time. It might make it worse.”

Dr. Kohler held her clipboard to her chest, frowning as she squared her shoulders. “Damen, she is not even responding enough to eat or drink. I’ve already started her on an IV, so she’ll get fluids. But that is not a good sign. If it were anyone else, I would have already admitted her. She needs to be monitored.”

Bryce seemed to contemplate this. “Do you think—”

“No!” I pointed at him, seething hatred burning through me. How dare he even consider this option. “This is your fault to begin with. Don’t you dare make it worse!”

Bryce glanced at Finn.

“Don’t look at me.” Finn shrugged. “You’re the one who married her. You wanted this responsibility.”

“I haven’t forgotten that you offered.” Bryce gritted his teeth. Surprise chased away my anger. “You’ve known her longer than the rest of us,” he continued. “What do you think we should do?”

Finn frowned, his gaze turning to the floor.

He had offered to marry Bianca? When did that happened? Miles didn’t look surprised, but Titus was now eyeing my brother warily as well.

Despite the situation, jealousy churned in my stomach. He was an Er Bashou,myEr Bashou. He had no rights to her.

“If you put her in the hospital, she’ll never trust you again.” His shoulders slumped. “It won’t matter that it’s for her own good. It’s probably the worst possible thing you could do right now.”

He was speaking from experience, obviously.

Well, he deserved it.

“No.” Bryce crossed his arms, turning to face Dr. Kohler. “What other options do we have?”

Dr. Kohler turned her gaze heavenward, pausing a moment before she responded. “You’reeventuallynot going to have a choice. But for now, keep her under observation. Try to talk to her, it might bring her out of it. But if nothing changes in forty-eight hours, I am admitting her.”

Bryce opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off. “If I am forced to do so, I will go to your father. Don’t test me.”

The next two days passed slowly, and Bianca was never left alone. Occasionally, she’d sleep. But when she woke, there was no change to her condition. Bryce had hired a private aid, and she made sure Bianca stayed clean. But outside of that, we were the only people in the room.

I couldn’t even stand the sight of Finn, and his fiddling had been getting on my nerves. Between his nervousness and Julian’s sullen attitude toward him, I couldn’t stand it anymore.