There was light, and dark; numb, and pain. My eyes creaked open for a breath and snapped shut. Trying to move brought stabs of pain all over. My chapped lips parted.

“What happened?” I croaked. A gentle hand pressed on my shoulder, but no response came. “I can’t hear anything. I forgot.”

This time there were two quick taps on my left eyelid. I squinted. Orius smiled at me and said something. I smirked and closed my eye again.

“I said I can’t hear anything,” I repeated.

Another tap on my eyelid. This time I opened both eyes. Orius held a paper where I could read it:

You’ve been out for two days. Your wrist is bandaged as best as possible. Orius has shared his ear salve with you. More information upon my and Nathan’s return. Much love. T

I nodded; Orius set the paper at the foot of the bed.

“Help me sit up,” I requested.

He shook his head and began to explain. When he remembered that I couldn’t hear, he stopped and grabbed the paper from the bed. Ink and quills were scattered on a small table beside the bed. He scribbled a short message, then showed me.

You’re to lie flat until the doctor returns. Sorry

I tried to flutter my hand in a dismissive gesture, but used the wrong hand. Pain raced up my arm. I inhaled sharply. Orius looked at me, concerned. I smiled and shook my head, closing my eyes again. Small fingers massaged my temples. They moved down to my good arm, working out knots and bruises. When he reached my hand, they paused. I opened my eyes – Nathan and Tobias had entered the room and stood behind him. Nathan and Orius had matching bandages. Apparently the same eardrum ruptured on both of them.

“I can’t hear. You’ll have to write everything down,” I motioned to the paper Orius used.

Tobias wrote first:

Cheikos is dead. The white wolf is Khoda’s brother. Kind of. I’m not sure – they’re from the same place, wherever that is. Soldiers found my mom’s body yesterday. Overdose, but probably forced.

I squeezed his hand. “I’m so sorry.”

He tried to smile, but it came out shaky and strangled. Behind him, Nathan had been hurriedly scrawling. He glanced toward the door, where a soldier stood in the entrance. After finishing his written thought he handed me the parchment, bowed, and left.

I had every surgeon we could find look at your wrist. To summarize their reactions, no one in their right mind would touch it with any more than misguided hope and copious amounts of ether. Unless you travel to another castle, you will lose your hand.

I closed my eyes and let the note drop from my fingers.

“How long until my ears heal?” I asked, creaking open an eyelid.

A while. Tobias wrote. I opened my eyes.

“Can I sit up?” I wondered. Nathan and Tobias helped move me vertically. “Thanks. What’s our plan? Now what?”

The pair exchanged a glance, then Nathan sat decidedly at the table and began to write. His left foot twitched impatiently. The familiar sound of pen on paper was absent. He looked over his work, running his forefinger over his lips. Then he rose and handed me the paper.

Option A: Go to another castle [Pros: you might keep your hand + travel experience; Cons: you might die + time away from this castle with no communication]

Option B: Stay here [Pros: you’ll be here + safety; Cons: you’ll use your hand + we thought you were safe before…I’ll be honest here and say that safety has become an illusion]

Circle your choice. You have my support and the kingdom’s resources with whichever you choose.