Rai woke up feeling like she had been crushed under the weight of a mountain. Every muscle in her body ached, her head was pounding, and an unsettling heaviness settled in her chest. The room was quiet, except for the faint sound of breathing. Khael was sitting on his bed, watching her carefully, his arms crossed.
"You finally awake?" His tone was casual, but his eyes were anything but.
Rai sat up, groaning at the soreness in her limbs. She glanced at the window. The storm from last night had passed, leaving behind a gray sky and damp air. The memory of the nightmare still lingered—visions of fire, thunder, and something ancient whispering her name.
"What happened last night?" Khael asked, his voice lower this time.
Rai hesitated. "Just a bad dream," she muttered, rubbing her arms as i
