Amber
It had been four days since the surgery.
Four days of recovery. Four days of minor side effects. Four days of learning to breathe without the constant fear of pain lurking in the back of my mind.
Dr. Eden had warned me about the side effects. The hot flashes were the worst. One minute, I’d be fine, and the next, heat would rise from my chest, crawling up my neck and face, making me feel like I was burning from the inside out. My bond mark throbbed in response, a deep, persistent hum beneath my skin, but it wasn’t painful—just an uncomfortable reminder of what had once held me prisoner.
“It’ll stop after a week,” Dr. Eden had assured me. “Your body is adjusting to the partial severance. Once it stabilizes, you won’t feel it anymore.”
I clung to that hope.
For the first time in w
