XARION'S POV
Pain.
That's the first thing I register when I wake up.
A dull, throbbing ache that seems to radiate through every part of my body. My head feels like it's been split open with an axe, my ribs are screaming, and my knuckles sting like hell.
I groan, my eyes fluttering open, and immediately squint against the harsh fluorescent lights above me.
Where the hell am I?
The sterile smell hits me next. Antiseptic. Bleach. That distinct hospital scent that makes my stomach turn.
No.
Not a hospital.
I hate hospitals.
And being stuck in one as a patient? Even worse.
I try to sit up, but my body protests, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my side. I wince, falling back against the pillows.
"Easy there, Xarion," a familiar voice drawls from somewhere to my left. "You're not
