Raellyn awoke in a daze of dopamine and delirium, her heart fluttering in a rhythm she hadn’t felt in years. It reminded her of the first time she ever fell in love heady, overwhelming, and strangely pure. The cold air of the room nipped at her skin, but it couldn’t dampen the fire that still burned within her chest. She wriggled out of the cocoon of bedsheets that had wrapped tightly around her like a silken chrysalis, her body still sensitive to the faintest movements.
The morning light poured in, almost blinding in its brilliance. She blinked, squinting at the open window. The heavy curtains had been drawn and tied neatly at the sides, letting the day invade her sanctuary. Her gaze lingered there for a moment, then drifted back inward, to the unspoken smile curling her lips. A giggle b
