"My name is Aurelia Monroe. And I will not rest until I have my daughter's ashes back."
The words had barely left my lips when the world began to tilt. My vision blurred, dark spots dancing before my eyes as the adrenaline that had been sustaining me suddenly drained away. My legs buckled beneath me.
I was falling, my body giving out after pushing it far beyond its limits. The pain I'd been ignoring crashed over me in waves – my broken ribs screaming in protest, my head pounding with such intensity that I couldn't tell up from down.
"Aurelia!" Julian's voice sounded distant, as though he were calling from the end of a long tunnel.
Strong arms caught me before I hit the floor. Even in my semi-conscious state, I recognized his touch – the same hands that had pushed me away countless times now cradled me with startling gentleness. I wanted to fight, to push him away, but my body refused to respond.
"Get Dr. Thorne," he barked at someone. "Now!"
