Broken Time: Tales of a Bounty Hunter Book 3

Chapter 35 - Restarting Time

Earth

When she was little, Astrid had snuck out of her room and climbed down the tower the members of her House were residing in order to watch the new Drax recruits train. She couldn't have been more than five or six, yet she knew the secret route like the back of her hand. It wasn't the first time she had snuck out, but her parents had wanted to have a serious talk with her about her future, so she had been late. And so she hurried down the tower, heart in her throat, afraid that she was going to miss the Draxs' practice. In her hurry, she tripped and rolled down the rest of the tower, hitting her head along the way. She woke up in the hospital a week later and remained grounded inside her room for five months.

She was vividly reminded of that moment as she slowly blinked her eyes open. Her vision was blurred from the pain. Her skull felt cracked open. She whimpered as she reached out with her fingers to feel the back of her head. Her spine protested like a petulant child, and suddenly, what felt like a bolt of electricity shot through her. Astrid moaned in pain and stilled. Her eyes watered. She took a breath, held it, then slowly let it out. She repeated the action a few times until the pain retreated little by little. She opened her eyes - when had she closed them again? She blinked twice. Her vision was directed on two metallic bed legs. Groaning, she managed to lean her weight on her elbow. Sharp pieces of the wall dug into her skin, but the sting is almost insignificant against the throbbing pain on her head.

On her first attempt to stand, her foot slipped on thick dust covering the floor, causing her to fall down again. Her hip got the worst of the jolt, the pain reverberating towards her knee and half her back. For a moment, Astrid's vision turned black and an excruciating scream tore from her throat. She laid on her back, biting her cheek and breathing slowly in and out. She focused on it.

In...out!

In...out!

In...out!

Her fingers curled on her side, her nails scratching the floor as they twisted. Something - anything - to distract her from her aching body. Astrid whimpered. Tears fell from the corner of her eyes, but she didn't feel them. She laid on the cold floor of the Asylum for what felt like eons. It could have been a blink of an eye or an eternity. It mattered little. For Minerva was gone and had taken Noemi with her. And she was left behind with an unconscious Novah to protect against two armies. That thought made her snap her eyes open. Her vision was blurry but she clenched her jaw and tightened her fists. Determination settled inside her. Fiery fury burned in her veins. And just like that, the pain reduced just a little. It could have been her imagination, but Astrid pulled through.

When she tried to stand up again, she succeeded. She was unstable on her feet. She grabbed the railing of the bed to steady herself and cast her eyes on the Time Lord. Novah showed no indication of having been affected by anything that transpired. He might as well have been 'sleeping beauty''. The thought was fleeting. Astrid shook her head to clear her thoughts and focus. He wasn't safe here and neither was she.

"You're not supposed to be here!" a new voice accused.

Astrid snapped her head to the open door, where a witch in nurse uniform eyed her startled. As if happening in slow motion, Astrid saw the witch raise her hand and begun speaking a spell. With a mind of its own, the Dinneilean's arm shot out faster and bright light shone inside the room. A cry reached Astrid's ears. When the light dispelled the nurse stumbled back against the doorframe, crying out in distress. With her palm covering both eyes, she slowly slithered down, whimpering.

"I can't see! I can't see!"

Astrid swallowed hard, feeling a little guilty. The more rational part of her, however, reasoned that the other woman was about to hurt her or possibly even kill her. Still, the witch's presence here begged the question of how she was supposed to navigate her way out of the Asylum unseen - while also carrying a limp body?