[Lior's POV — Morvael Castle — The Next Morning]
I didn't remember falling asleep, only that at some point, the weight of everything—fear, exhaustion, confusion—had dragged me into darkness, and even then… it hadn't been peaceful.
When I opened my eyes, the room was quiet...too quiet. The fire had long burned out. Pale morning light slipped through the tall windows, stretching across the stone floor and climbing slowly toward the bed.
For a moment, I didn't move, didn't breathe because something felt… wrong and different. My body felt heavier than usual, like I hadn't truly rested, like something had drained me.
Slowly, carefully, I shifted. My ankle no longer throbbed like before. The pain was still there—but dull now. Manageable.
That should have been a relief.
It wasn't, because the moment I moved, an arm tightened around me. My breath stopped. I hadn't noticed it before; I hadn't realized—he was still there behind me.
Alaric.
