I woke up choking on air that wasn’t there.
My lungs burned like I’d been underwater too long, chest spasming, fingers clawing at the sheets as if I could tear my way back to the surface. The first thing I felt was pain. Deep. Everywhere. A low, grinding ache that radiated outward in slow waves, like my body was arguing with itself about whether it still wanted to exist.
Voices blurred in and out.
“Easy.”
“She’s awake.”
“Don’t let her move.”
Hands pressed down gently but firmly. The smell of antiseptic flooded my nose, sharp and clean and wrong after smoke and blood. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar. Smooth. White. Too bright.
I sucked in another breath and finally found oxygen.
“Adrian,” I croaked.
He appeared instantly, face hovering over mine, eyes red rimmed and wild with r
