Leia jolted awake, her body burned with sweat while her breath was ragged as though she had been running for her life.
"What was that?" She murmured hoarsely, her brows knitting together in confusion and dread.
Fragments of the nightmare still clung to her mind, fire roaring in the darkness, the screams of unseen people, and, most haunting of all, the image of her mother's face, covered in fear. Her heart was beating strangely against her chest, making her press her hand on it to calm her racing heart.
For a long moment, she sat still. Then, with effort, she forced herself to take in her surroundings.
It was late evening, the room cloaked in shadows. Only a faint glow from the lamp at the top of the window let the room lit dimly. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and reached for the light switch. The room brightened abruptly.
She lowered herself into the recliner by the corner.
