The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 163

But that emotional ache was instantly swallowed by a far more violent, physical agony—a throbbing deep inside her temples, like a jagged blade steadily carving through her skull.

She bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from crying out.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

She reached into her pocket. Empty. The bottle of pills had been buried along with Lilah during the avalanche.

Even if she could find it, she wouldn't dare take them now. She had no idea what Lilah had swapped the medication with.

Her only option was the emergency painkiller syringe hidden deep in the lining of her pocket—the absolute last resort she had sworn not to use unless her life depended on it.

Her fingers finally brushed against the freezing plastic of the syringe. She let out a shaky breath and trembling, pulled it out.

Right at that moment, a sharp *clatter* rang out.

The syringe slipped from her numb fingers.

The sharp sound echoed like a gunshot in the silent cabin.

Diego slammed on the brakes, sending everyone lurching forward.

"What happened?" Professor Harrison opened his eyes, his voice raspy.

Josh jerked awake as well, instinctively turning to look at Sloane.

Her face was as white as a sheet. Her lips had turned a terrifying shade of purple, and she was curled tightly against the seat, trembling uncontrollably.

Her eyes were half-open, her pupils dilated and unfocused as if she were desperately trying to latch onto something that wasn't there. Cold sweat coated her forehead, plastering wet strands of hair against her cheeks. Her breathing was frantic and shattered, making it look as though every inhalation cost her every ounce of her remaining strength.

"Sloane!" Josh's voice cracked. He ripped his seatbelt off and threw himself over to grab her shoulders. "Sloane! What's wrong?"

Her body convulsed against his chest. Her fingers dug fiercely into his sleeve, her knuckles turning bone-white. Her lips parted, trembling rapidly, but no sound came out.

"Her medicine..." Professor Harrison leaned over from the front. "Where is her medicine?"

Josh's gaze dropped to the floor. The syringe lay perfectly still on the rubber mat, the clear liquid inside sloshing faintly under the dim cabin light.

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