Chloe’s p.o.v.
A dull ache throbbed in my skull, pressing against my temples like a vice. My body felt heavy, and sluggish, as if I had been buried under layers of stone.
I blinked twice against the dim candlelight as I tried to push away the haze clouding my thoughts.
‘Where… am I?’ I stuttered in my mind.
At the same time, my vision swam for a moment before the familiar carvings on the ceiling above me settled into focus. The intricate designs of my chambers, bed, and the silk sheets beneath me were soft and warm and I realized I was home.
I paused and pondered, ‘How had I gotten here?’
The last thing I remembered was the courtroom—the heavy air, the sharp words of Lady Thora—then—nothing, just a void, a looming darkness.
A shiver ran down my spine as I slowly pushed myself up,
