“I’m going to get you in the water, Jess.” Water? What water? He frowned, his face feeling too tight. Ez chuckled softly. “Don’t look so confused. You need to be clean, and we need to soak the bandages off. At some point you have to open your eyes, you know.” He tried to shake his head, but madness crouched there, all fangs and claws. Moving could be bad as all get out, whatever all get out was. Opening his eyes meant bright, blinding light. “Can you at least say my name?” “Ez.” He knew that, like he knew his heartbeat. “Inside me.” Ezrah was inside him. He didn’t have to open his eyes to know that, but Ezrah wanted him to. Maybe he could try. He cracked his eyes, peeking, looking for his Ez. “Oh, there he is.” Ez looked so pleased, all smiles. Maybe it was worth opening his eyes to see that, especially since nothing was burning his eyes. “I miss your face when you won’t look at me.” “There’s water?” Ez nodded. “A pool. Can you believe it, Jess?
