Chapter 16
Maureen
I woke up to pain.
Not the sharp kind that screams, but the dull, heavy ache that settles deep into your bones and refuses to leave. My body felt foreign, like it no longer belonged to me. The first thing I noticed was the smell—strong herbs mixed with blood and something bitter.
I tried to move.
A sharp sting shot through my lower abdomen, forcing a weak gasp from my lips.
"Don't move."
The voice was calm, female, unfamiliar.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The room was dim, lit only by a few candles placed neatly on wooden stands. White curtains fluttered softly beside the window, and the bed I lay on was too soft—too clean—to be the dungeon.
"You're awake," the woman said, stepping closer.
She looked older, with silver strands in her hair and tired eyes that had seen too much suffering. A healer. I knew immediately.
"Where… am I?" My voice came out hoarse.
"The infirmary," she replied. "You collapsed after being pushed. You lost a lot of blood."
