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The figure, backlit, crouched over her and then Zelda felt blessed when cold water started splashing over her face, against her lips

“Here, drink”

Zelda obeyedat the container instinctively when it seeo away

“Shh, you need to drink more slowly, or you’ll only throw it up”

Zelda ain to argue her case She saw Zayed’s face, looking down at her, full of concern

“I’ve got you, Zelda You’re going to be okay”

Zelda nodded, accepting it as the gospel truth without even quite understanding the words

The Sheikh brought the bottle to her lips again and she drank down a little y left her and she sluently into unconsciousness

TWELVE

Zelda came back to consciousness bit by bit; she becaone, that her skin no longer felt drawn and tight on her face and hands She realized that she wasn’t on the ground; instead, soft blankets covered her and a cushioned surface cradled her underneath She felt clean, dry—but not uncomfortably so—and better rested than she could re in her life Her heart beat steadily without pounding in her ears, and lastly she becary

She opened her eyes and the first thing she saas Zayed, seated a few feet away frolance around her told Zelda that she was in her bedroom at the Sheikh’s mansion, and that at soht back, bathed, and cared for None of the servants seemed to be present

“Hi,” she said sheepishly, pushing herself up by her elbows

“Careful,” Zayed said, reaching out to help her pull herself up into a seated position “Your arht be a little sore; the doctor said you needed IV fluids”

Zelda looked down and saw the pristine white square of gauze taped to the crook of her elbow “I feel pretty great,” she said, s much cleaner than I remember”

“Hadya insisted that since we haven’t yet been married, she should be the one to clean you up,” Zayed ad amused

“Well at least that’s one less thing I have to beof how incredibly foolish her escape atte the fact that she had no real idea of how to get to the city from Zayed’s compound