A dull ache throbbed in my head as I blinked my eyes open, groggily taking in my surroundings. I was lying on a familiar couch, the rich aroma of brewing coffee filling the air. The intricately carved pillar in the corner of the room, along with the centerpiece on the gleaming glass table, told me everything I needed to know about where I was.
I lifted a hand to my head, trying to recall yesterday’s event. Fragments of memory came back—the press conference, the ambush, the deafening crack of gunfire—and then nothing. The rest was a blank. Memories of how I'd gotten here, who brought me back, and what exactly had happened during the ambush were all lost to me.
Sharp pain flared in my temple as I pushed myself upright. I leaned back into the couch, easing into a seated position, and closed
