Exton

"Okay, Nick, come on in."

I nod and Rowan steps aside to let me pass. "Talk to her, Nick. It might help bring her around."

I walk into Raina's room, step up to the side of the bed.

Raina is pale, almost as pale as me when I'm in human form. Her breathing is regular and her heartbeat is steady. Against that, I've seen Raina sleep for a couple of years now and you can always read her personality, her "self" in her face. Now it looks like the lights are on, but no one's home.

I talk for about fifteen minutes, telling her that we won the battle... telling her that her brothers are okay. I tell her that Ky twisted her ankle again and now she's going to be impossible to live with, at least for those who live by day... I tell her that we all miss her and we love her and we want her to get better and come home soon. I'm not really sure what I said after that, it just kind of blurs together... 

I start when Alise touches my arm. "Come away for a bit, Nick. You can try again in a few minutes."

I follow her to a pair of chairs, maybe ten feet from the bed and its occupant. "She's going to be all right, Nick; she just needs to rest."

"How sure are you of that? She looks like watered-down tea. Is Rowan sure there's no brain damage?"

"Quite sure, mon ami. It's the kind of thing that would show up very early, and she found no sign of it. A concussion can be a tricky thing to recover from." She smiles. "I love her too, you know. I have pestered Rowan with many questions since Raina arrived here. Be of good cheer... all will be well."

"I hope you're right." I let my eyes search hers. "She loves you, too."