Aria’s POV
The sound of knocking pulled me out of a sleep that had been anything but restful.
My eyes opened slowly, gritty with exhaustion, my body damp with cold sweat. I sat up, pressing my hand against my throbbing temples. My head felt heavy, spinning with the weight of too many sleepless nights. If I kept going like this, I knew I’d fall ill. But how could I rest when Klaus was still absent, when every hour without news carved another wound into my chest?
The clock on the bedside table glowed faintly. Ten o’clock. Much later than I usually rose. They must have let me sleep, hoping I’d recover some strength before the ceremony tonight.
“Ari, are you awake?” Amara’s voice drifted from the other side of the door, gentle but insistent.
“Yes, come in,” I called, dragging myself out o
