Nelly grabbed Zari on her way to Ava's room.
"Come on," she huffed. "We've got a stubborn woman to save from herself."
Zari blinked in confusion but didn't resist. "Ava's back?"
"Aren't you supposed to be her maid?" Nelly shot back.
When they reached Ava's door, the first thing that hit them was the scent of Ava's distress.
Ava was drenched in sweat, her body trembling, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her towel had slipped slightly, revealing the fresh mark on her neck, dark and pronounced against her flushed skin.
"Fill the tub with cold water," she instructed Zari, who immediately sprang into action. The urgency in her tone didn't leave room for questions or hesitation.
Nelly moved swiftly, closing the distance between them and pulling Ava into her arms. Ava was burning up. The heat radiating from her body was almost unnatural, as if her blood itself had turned to fire.
