Chapter thirty-three

Lana

My eyes flutter open, and the surroundings come into focus. There, my brother's tall impressive figure stands before me, an unexpected presence in the soft sunlight.

I blink, convinced it’s a fleeting dream. I smile believing he must have heard my cry to him, and that's why he's appearing in my dream.

Closing my eyes, I mutter to myself, “If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up yet.”

“Lana, it's not a dream.” Matthias’s deep voice breaks the silence.

I snap awake, my eyes widening in astonishment. “Matthias, is it truly you?” I inquire, and he advances, taking hold of my hands.

He squeezes them gently and draws me into his comfortable embrace. His familiar scent envelops my senses, and I fight back tears, savoring the reality of being in my brother's arms once again.

In that moment, everything else fades away as I cling to him, his soothing touch running through my hair. Time seems to stand still, and I feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a grounding reassurance that