I rolled onto the bed, the room sinking into heavy silence around me. The duvet clung to me, warm and comforting, and I pressed my face deeper into the pillow, letting the softness wrap around me.
My forehead was creased as I pressed at the bridge of my nose, half-dreaming, half-awake, caught in the strange blur between sleep and reality. My breathing slowed, the rhythm coaxing me back toward sleep, but not fully.
Suddenly, a low voice brushed against my ear. The whisper trickled down my spine like ice, making my body stiffen and my heart jolt.
“Rest now. I’ll be here watching over you. There’s nothing you need to fear.”
My eyes flew open. A face hovered impossibly close. I bolted upright, flinging the sheet aside, sitting at the edge of the bed.
“Evan?” The name slipped out as a whis
