Two weeks passed in a blur of medication, quiet humming machines, and the distant, rhythmic ticking of a clockwork mechanism. For Emmett, the world was a vague, hazy thing, a spiral of unconsciousness and pain.
He woke with a gasp, a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest the first thing he felt. His eyes fluttered open to a blinding white light. The air smelled of antiseptic and sterilized metal. He was lying on a crisp white bed in a small, clinical room. He glanced down to see his chest and torso wrapped in thick, clean bandages. The bear scars were a dull ache beneath the layers of gauze.
He slowly turned his head to the right and his eyes widened. In the bed beside him lay Briar, but she wasn't sleeping. She was staring directly at him, her red hair a stark splash of color against the white pillow, her large green eyes unblinking.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Emmett asked.
Briar's head snapped away immediately, a deep blush creeping up her cheeks. She mumbled something he couldn't hear, her gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Just then, the door slid open, and Corbin, Felix, Rhys, and Beatrice entered. They stopped in their tracks, their faces breaking into a collective expression of relief.
"You're both awake,"
Felix said, relief evident in his voice.
Emmett tried to sit up but winced, the pain shooting through his body.
"What happened?"
Emmett asked
Corbin stepped forward, his expression as calm and collected as ever.
"It's been two weeks. After the bear was killed, the medical staff came and got you both. They've been treating your wounds."
He explained the situation, his voice a dry, factual report of the test.
"The doctors say that if it hadn't been for Briar's intervention, you wouldn't have made it, Emmett. You were dead on the verge of the beast"
Corbin glanced at Briar before continuing
"Though I don't understand why she'd risk her own life to save yours."
Felix, ever the romantic, broke in.
"Maybe she likes him! I've read in books that's the sort of thing lovers do for each other!"
Briar's entire face went crimson, and she tried to wave a hand dismissively.
"It's not… it's just..."
she stammered, unable to find the words, and didn't outright deny it.
Corbin ignored them both, his eyes fixed on Emmett.
"The Baron wants to have a meeting with all of us once you've both fully recovered. He says it's to discuss our future and where we stand now."
Beatrice, her voice soft and full of wonder, added,
"It's been so strange here. They took us to a wing in the manor. We have our own rooms, and they give us four meals a day. We even have house staff."
Felix, looking from Emmett to Briar, walked over and placed a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders.
"I'm glad you're both okay,"
he said, his voice earnest.
"We were all worried."
Beatrice simply hugged Briar and patted Emmett's shoulder before quietly retreating. Corbin, for his part, offered a rare, almost imperceptible nod.
"Stay focused,"
he said simply, his voice low.
"We need all hands on deck for what's coming next."
With that, the four of them turned and left.
*************** ***************
Emmett and Briar remained in the infirmary for a few more days, being closely monitored by the staff. When they were finally cleared to leave, they were taken back to the manor and shown their individual rooms.
The next day, a house staff member came to their wing and informed them that the Baron was ready for their meeting. The children were led through the grand, ornate hallways to the Baron's study. They were taken to a large, oak-paneled room filled with books and mechanical devices. Behind a large desk sat Baron Calvin, a faint smile on his lips.
"It's time we had a chat."