Flashback ( PDFDrive )

He switched to a red orb around Fitz’s torso and placed his hand on
the left side of Fitz’s chest. “The cracks over here were sealed the last
time I checked, and now a couple look like they’ve refractured. I
suppose it’s possible the little bit of flailing you did played a part in
that—but I have a feeling it was mostly the echo. Don’t worry—I can
fix it. I can fix all of this.”
“Except the echoes,” Fitz mumbled.
“Those do seem to be beyond my control,” Elwin admitted. “The
most I can do is keep you sedated so you don’t make yourself worse.”
Fitz shook his head. “No more sedatives.”
“Are you sure?” Sophie had to ask.
“Seriously? You’re asking me that?”
“I am.” She pointed to the pink vials lined up beside her cot. “I take
one every night before bed.”
“Wow,” he whispered. “I can’t believe you agreed to that.”
“I had to. Otherwise . . . it’s bad. I don’t like it, but . . . the
Neverseen got us good this time.”
“Yeah. I guess.” He hugged Mr. Snuggles again. “But, you still only
take sedatives at night, so why can’t I—”
“You can,” Elwin jumped in. “And you should. But it might not be
enough. Honestly, it’s not always enough for Sophie. She’s had a few
close calls. But her echoes are also in her head, so her dreams seem to
be the biggest threat.”
“That’s why the sedative I’m taking makes me dream about glitter
and dancing animals,” Sophie added. “I’m pretty sure my brain would
explode if I never gave it a break from that.”
Fitz sighed. “I hear what you guys are saying, but . . . I don’t want to
lose any more time. I can’t. At least not without trying to manage it.