Jonah woke to the beeping of medical equipment. He was in the Academy's infirmary.
His whole body ached and his God Mark throbbed with constant pain that made him flinch every time he moved his arm.
"Finally awake, sleeping beauty?"
Vanessa sat in a chair beside his bed. A cup of coffee was on the table next to her with different datapads covered in complex diagrams and notes.
"How long was I out?" Jonah's voice came out rough.
"Sixteen hours. The medics said your body shut down from exhaustion." She reached over and squeezed his hand. "You scared me."
"Sorry."
"Don't apologize. Just don't do it again." Her attempt at to look serious failed when her eyes got watery. "I can't lose you, Jonah."
Before he could respond, the door opened. The Headmaster walked in, followed by a nervous-looking doctor carrying a medical scanner.
"Ah, you're awake. Good." The Headmaster pulled up a chair. "We need to talk. Doctor, show him."
