Cass opened his eyes. He wasn't in the grove. He wasn't standing up.
He was lying down, staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. He blinked a few more times, before he felt his eyes water against his will.
He'd had a dream. It felt like it was distant, blurry, but he'd had one. He was sure it was the influence of the nursery nearby, and he felt like a damn newborn calf. Shaking legs, shaking limbs, like he couldn't get his feet underneath him.
Cass let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes as he felt more tears pour down his cheeks, soaking in the sheets below him.
It had been so simple, so quiet, and it had brought Cass more peace than he was sure anyone else could understand.
He'd dreamed of his sister. For the first time, he'd been able to see her, even if it was only in a dream. His hands clenched on the sheets underneath his fingers, so tight he thought he might break them. He was anchoring himself, grounding himself as he wept.
