The first thing Mila became aware of was the pain.
It started at the base of her skull... a deep, throbbing ache that pulsed in time with her heartbeat and seemed to be getting worse with every passing second.
Each beat sent a fresh wave of agony radiating through her head, sharp and relentless. Her jaw throbbed too, a duller pain that spread across the left side of her face where he'd hit her.
It was from the blow that had ended the fight.
The blow that had taken everything away.
The blow that took her away.
But she didn't open her eyes.
Not yet.
Her body felt heavy and disconnected, like it belonged to someone else. Her arms were pulled behind her, wrists bound tight enough that her fingers tingled with the beginning of numbness. Her shoulders ached from the angle, the strain pulling at muscles that had already been battered during the fight. Her legs were free, but when she tried to shift them, pain flared hot and immediate in her ribs.
