Gianna's POV

Pain. It was the first thing that jolted me back to consciousness. The second was the cold-cold enough to numb me, to mute some of the pain that tore through my body.

Each breath felt like it was exacting a price, with every gasp accompanied by fresh tears that streamed down my face. Forcing my eyes open, I saw the sky above, painted in dull gray. It must have been just before dawn.

I took another painful breath, trying to lift my head. My vision blurred, and I blinked several times until the shapes around me sharpened. That's when I noticed the lower half of my body was...