Spirit Pavilion.
The Recovery Chamber.
Alaric's eyes snapped open abruptly, his consciousness returning to him like a lightning strike in the starry sky.
His body jerked up, and he immediately began scanning his surroundings warily purely by instinct.
The walls of the recovery chamber came into focus, along with the inscriptions of the healing arrays that had been sustaining him during his recovery.
Golden light from the inscriptions spread gently across the ceiling, creating a warm atmosphere.
Alaric's gaze settled on Emma, and his expression immediately softened.
She was sleeping in a chair that had been pulled close to his bedside, her upper body leaning forward so that her head rested on the small free space at the edge of his bed mattress.
One arm was folded beneath her cheek as a makeshift pillow, while the other hung loosely at her side.
Strands of her hair had fallen across her face during sleep, partially veiling her peaceful expression.
