Maryelle’s POV
I woke with a steadiness that startled me. My body no longer dragged with fatigue, my chest no longer burned with each breath. I could stretch without pain, rise without dizziness, even walk across the chamber without Phantom’s help. It was as though strength had been poured back into me overnight, filling every hollow space that weakness had carved out.
Phantom’s eyes followed me, relief flickering across his face though exhaustion weighed heavy in his posture. He hadn’t left my side, and the crown abandoned on the desk was proof of how little else mattered to him.
“You’re moving like yourself again,” he said, his voice low, hopeful.
I flexed my fingers, testing the steadiness in them. “It feels strange. Like I’ve skipped the part where recovery should hurt.”
The h
