Lyra's POV
Every bone in my body felt like it had been shattered and pieced back together wrong.
I hadn't won.
Xander had destroyed me.
I shifted carefully on the narrow bed, recognizing the sterile white walls of the infirmary immediately. A steady beeping sound came from somewhere to my right. When I glanced down, I spotted an IV needle taped to the back of my hand. My brow furrowed in confusion. I attempted to push myself upright, but pain exploded through my skull like lightning. I collapsed back against the pillow and turned my gaze to Alaric.
"What happened?" The words came out as barely a whisper.
"You were holding your own," Alaric replied, his voice unusually gentle. "Then he managed to get the upper hand. Swept your legs and put you flat on your back."
I nodded slowly, the memory surfacing through the fog in my brain. After that, everything became a blur. Alaric exhaled heavily and dragged his fingers through his dark hair.
