Crystal stirred slowly beneath the moss-draped canopy, her back resting against a curved root. Ryder’s jacket lay over her shoulders.
She hadn’t remembered falling asleep. Her body was stiff, sore in places she didn’t know could ache, but more than that, she felt empty within her. Emptied but calm.
She sat up as Ryder appeared from outside, a carved wooden mug in hand. Steam curled from it. His gaze found hers instantly.
“You should be sleeping.”
“I did,” she said softly. “Didn’t mean to.”
He knelt beside her, offering the mug. She took it gratefully, sipping slow. It tasted of pine, mint, and something earthy.
“I needed to see you first,” he murmured. “Make sure you wake up in the same world.”
She smiled faintly. “Barely, but I think I did.”
They sat in silence for a while, the s
