Chapter 22

No one knew how much time had passed. The soft orange glow from the ceiling lights spilled quietly across the grey-toned room, casting everything in a gentle haze. Alice opened her eyes to find herself in a place she didn’t recognize. Her head throbbed so badly it felt like someone was drilling into her skull. Other than the slight flutter of her long lashes, she didn’t move an inch. The door clicked open. "You’re awake?" a deep, calm voice sounded as a tall, lean figure entered her peripheral vision. Alice blinked, trying to steady her gaze. "Mr. Hawthorne?" Edward came closer. "Yeah, it’s me." Alice tried to sit up, but as soon as she moved, a sharp, tearing pain shot through her left arm. She gasped. "Ah—it hurts..." "Don’t move," he said, his long, steady hand already pressing her shoulder down gently, guiding her back to the bed. "You’ve got injuries. The less you move, the better." She lay there, breathing through the pain. Her head swam and suddenly felt too heavy. On instinct,