Camilla stood by the bedside for a few moments, watching the quiet rise and fall of Damon's chest. She bent down, righted the stool, and wiped the spilled water off the floorboards with a dry cloth.
She sat back down on the cushioned chair right beside Damon's pillow. She took his left hand back into her own, dipping her cloth into the warm water once more.
She began to clean gently between his fingers. Her eyes softened as she looked down at his peaceful face.
"One of them is down," Camilla spoke softly into the air, her tone intimate and gentle, as if she were having a normal conversation with him.
She carefully wiped the back of his hand, moving her thumb over his knuckles.
"They will start coming out one by one now," Camilla continued, her voice dropping into a low, steady whisper. "When the main tree begins to shake, the snakes hiding in the grass always reveal themselves. Don't worry, Damon. I will watch over everything until you open your eyes."
