I woke to the soft, muted sound of rain hitting the reinforced glass. The heavy pain medication had finally worn off, leaving behind a dull, manageable ache in my ribs instead of the blinding agony from the day before. The massive bed was empty, the sheets cold on the other side. Valerius was gone.
I slowly sat up, wincing as my stiff muscles stretched. I was still wearing his oversized black t-shirt. The medical bandages on my feet felt secure, so I cautiously swung my legs over the edge of the mattress and stood. My legs trembled slightly, but they held my weight.
I needed to see outside the bedroom. I needed to understand the absolute scale of the cage I was currently living in.
The bedroom doors slid open silently as I approached. I stepped out into the main living area of the Apex
