Lucien's POV
The world came back to me in flashes of light. The voices around me felt wobbly and distant. Constant beeping from only God knows where. The sterile smell of disinfectant. Harsh and irritating.
I blinked slowly, but even that simple act was a workout; my eyelids were heavy, glued shut with exhaustion. The ceiling above me was white. Too white and bright. It was like I was having a sensory overload, and nausea crept up my spine. My throat was raw, and it burned when I tried to swallow. Someone was talking—soft, distant words that didn't make sense at first.
"—he's responding. Pulse is stable. Let's keep monitoring his vitals."
A woman's voice. A voice that I didn't recognize. I managed to look around. A drip bag by my side, a lot of tubes connected to my arms. A v
