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“I—” My throat was raw and aching, like I’d sed gravel

“Sore? One moment” She left the room and came back a minute later with a plastic cup full of ice chips and water “Slow sips You’ve been out for a while”

God, the water tasted better than anything, and in reed, I took in a bit too much and nearly choked

“That’s probably enough for now,” she said, setting the cup on the stand beside the bed, and it was only then that I felt another presence in the room Houdini stood quietly by the s, a mixture of relief and worry on his face

“H-hey,” I rasped

He started forward as the nurse began to take my blood pressure, and when he stopped by the bed, I saw that he looked like shit warmed over—and told him so

A faint chuckle left him, and then he shook his head “It’s not every day your friend projectiles out of a plane”

I went to sit up again and winced at the movement

“Use this,” the nurse said, handing me a rean to rise so I was in a sitting position It hurt like hell, but I wasn’t about to complain

“Good to see ya awake,” Houdini said, falling into the seat beside me

“How long was I out?”

“Couple days But don’t worry, you didn’tThey’ve postponed classes for at least teeks while they investigate”

Damn I’d lost two days? Classes had been shut down?

Pain lanced through my body as I shifted a bit I didn’t want to ask what I was about to, but I needed to know “How bad is it?”

“No hope for the Hornet Dead and gone in the Pacific You, on the other hand, aren’t missin’ any pieces, so that’s a plus”

I looked down to see all my limbs were indeed intact, no casts to be seen

“If I’m okay, why do I feel pummeled to shit?”

“Just because you didn’t lose an appendage doesn’t hes,” the nurse said, as she pushed a syringe of drugs into my IV “You’re badly bruised and need to take it easy”