“You’ll be asleep,” he said. “You won’t feel anything. I promise.”
She swallowed.
“Can Sky stay?”
Ariston looked at Sky.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Sky said.
The doctor they chose was kind, a woman with warm eyes who talked to Elo like she was a person and not a problem to solve. She examined Eloin’s scalp gently, fingers probing the tender spots.
“How many implants are there?” Ariston asked.
“Twelve,” the doctor said finally. “Small fiber-optic wires embedded in the follicles.”
“Can you remove them?”
“Yes,” she said. “It’s delicate, but safe. She’ll need to be sedated.”
“Will it hurt?” Elo whispered.
“You’ll be asleep for the surgery,” the doctor said. “Afterward, you’ll be sore for a few days. But the pain you’ve been living with will stop.”
“Can Sky stay until I fall asleep?” Elo asked.
“Of course,” the doctor said.
The surgery was scheduled for the next morning. That night, Elo lay in bed staring at the ceiling, Sky curled up beside her on top of the covers.
“What if something goes wrong?” Elo whispered.
“Nothing will go wrong,” Sky said. “The doctor is really good.”
“What if they come back?” Elo asked. “Miss Calva. Or Uncle Dorian.”
“Your dad won’t let them,” Sky said. “And neither will I.”
“You’re the bravest person I know,” Elo said.
Sky smiled.
“No,” she replied. “You are. You survived all this before I even showed up.”
“I don’t feel brave,” Elo said.
“Brave people never do,” Sky told her. “They just keep going anyway.”
“Thank you,” Elo whispered. “For seeing me.”
“Always,” Sky said.
The next morning, they went to the clinic early. Elo wore a hospital gown that swallowed her small frame. She clung to Sky’s hand until the very last moment.
“I’ll be right here when you wake up,” Sky said.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
They wheeled Elo into surgery. Ariston and Sky sat in the waiting room, the clock on the wall moving slower than any clock had ever moved in their lives.
Two hours felt like forever.
Finally, the doctor came out, pulling off her cap.
“It’s done,” she said. “All twelve implants removed. She’ll be sore, but she’s going to be fine.”
Ariston broke down crying in the middle of the waiting room. Sky hugged him without thinking.
“She’s free now,” Sky whispered.
“Thanks to you,” he said.
When Elo woke, she was groggy and confused, but the first thing she saw was Sky sitting right beside her bed.
“You stayed,” Elo whispered.
“Of course,” Sky said.