An Unexpected Visit

The first thing I registered was the smell.

A potent combination of herbs and beeswax, a familiar scent that I've learned to disdain.

Then came the soft murmur of voices, the rhythmic clinking of metal against stone.

My eyelids fluttered open, revealing a dimly lit room, the only light coming from a flickering oil lamp.

I blinked, striving to focus. Three faces swam into view, their expressions a mixture of relief and concern.

"Seraphina!" Ember exclaimed, her voice laden with emotion. "You're awake!"

Elara, her face pale, reached out and gently squeezed my hand. "Thank the gods," she whispered.

Leon, his eyes wide with worry, leaned closer. "You caused us quite a fright," he said, his voice barely audible.

I tried to speak, but my throat felt dry and scratchy. "What… what happened?" I croaked.

"The assailants assailed you," Leon explained. "We discovered you… unconscious and bathed in your own blood." His eyes bore a haunted look as he recounted.

The memory of the attack, the