Kael’s POV
The steady beeping of machines pierced the silence, echoing inside my skull like a distant alarm. A sharp spark tore through my brain, jolting me into consciousness. My eyelids fluttered open, straining against the sterile white lights above. The air was cold and smelled like antiseptic; clinical, lifeless.
I was alone on the hospital bed.
I tried lifting my arm. It felt like I was trying to move a boulder. Heavy. Numb. A thin IV line ran into the back of my hand, dripping rhythmically into my veins. Pain surged through my skull, sharp and unforgiving, wrapping around my head like a vise.
“Ahhh…” I groaned, my voice hoarse and dry. I raised my free hand to my head and felt the bulk of thick bandages pressing against my fingertips. The throbbing beneath them was relentless.
