I woke up sore.
Every muscle in my body protested when I sat up. My shoulders. My ribs. The places along my forearms where Vael's stave had landed. I made a sound that was not quite a groan and pressed my palms against my eyes.
Three weeks ago, my biggest concern had been which dress to wear to my mating ceremony.
I lowered my hands.
The sun was already up. Pale grey light filled the room. I had slept long past dawn. That was strange I had been raised in a Beta's house, and Beta's daughters did not sleep past dawn. But the linen was warm and my body was wrecked, and the candle on the table by the bed had burned all the way down.
A small wooden tray had been left just inside the door.
I had not heard anyone come in.
I got out of bed slowly. I crossed the cold floor on bare feet. The
