Aria's POV
I tilted my head, yearning for the warmth of her touch to ease the ache, to make everything right again. But no touch came, the air was empty and silent.
I woke up with a start, my stomach growling angrily as the cold draft of air from the cracked window hit my skin. The chill cut through me, but I couldn't quite bring myself to close it. The fever had overwhelmed me, and I'd passed out in a haze of exhaustion and aching muscles.
I reached up to touch my forehead, feeling the searing heat that radiated from my skin. It was burning hot. My body felt heavy, like I was trapped in a shell that refused to move. I lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, my thoughts swirling in a fog I couldn't clear.
For a brief moment, I wished I could have stayed in that dream, that warm, com
