I jolted awake with a sharp cry, my body trembling as if the nightmare still had its claws in me. My chest heaved, each breath ragged, my skin damp with sweat. For a moment, I didn't know where I was. The shadows of the dream clung to me, whispering in my ears, choking me.
My eyes darted around the room. I was alone.
A shaky breath slipped from me as I dragged a hand over my face, pressing hard against my eyes as though I could erase the images burned into them—the blood, her cold stare, her voice telling me to surrender. My palm came away wet with sweat. My body still felt heavy and weak, like the wolfsbane was real and still flowing in my veins.
"Calm down," I whispered to myself, though my voice broke. My hands raked through my hair, gripping tight, as if holding myself together. But no matter how many times I repeated it, the ache in my chest would not fade.
The door creaked open.
I looked up quickly, still pale, my heart jumping. And there he was—Aeron.
