The next few days passed in a blur for Rem. They'd taken quite a beating on top of the burns that had barely healed and without access to their shifting abilities, recovery took more energy than they were used to. They slept constantly, Serine rousing them just enough to eat before they fell back into slumber.
Drenched in sweat, their muscles shaking, Rem finally woke on their own. They lay on the bare mattress and stared at the ceiling. The collar around their neck was a heavy weight on their skin. Rem blinked and raised a trembling hand to wipe the sleep from their eyes. They sat up slowly, looking around. Serine lay beside the mattress on the floor, curled up and fast asleep. Rem pushed themselves up into a sitting position, trying not to wake Serine. They leaned back against the wall
