Chapter 30; Awakening

ARWYN

Fire. Loud dragon screeches. More fire. A heart-wrenching cry. Mother falling to the floor, dead. A shadowy figure with curly long hair. I know it’s a woman, but her face is hidden in darkness.

My lashes flutter, struggling to stay open. For seconds, I drift in and out of consciousness until I finally see the light blue canopy hanging above, then the bedpost, and the intricate silver swirls on the sheets.

I was back in the palace. In my chambers. Sunlight seeped in from the left through the window, warming my skin until it felt like I was back in the Spire, surrounded by fire. Or no—back in the Wreath, with flames growing around us.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, sweat rolling down my forehead to soak into the sheets. I moved my left fingers, then my right, before shifting my hand farther away from my body, testing my movement. All of me was intact. The draught was fading from my system, and I could finally breathe properly. I felt alive.

Movement to my left caught my attenti