Nora's POV
When consciousness returned to me, Zerra had taken James's place beside me in bed. I shifted slightly, and the hellhound immediately began licking my face with enthusiastic affection.
"Hello there, sweet girl," I murmured, stroking her silky fur. "I still need to figure out how to help you grow properly. Just another item for my endless to-do list." A yawn escaped me as I stretched beneath the covers, reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed but eager to locate James.
He was somewhere downstairs, alive and relatively stable. At least for now. If his condition had deteriorated, I would sense it immediately. My familiars would alert me, and Antonia wouldn't be maintaining her current state of calm.
Even so, I needed visual confirmation.
Dragging myself from bed, I grabbed fresh underwear and a t-shirt before making a quick stop in the bathroom. Then I headed downstairs, drawn by the sound of television chatter and the rich aroma of brewing coffee.
