Sera's Pov
"There's an old man demanding entrance into the fortress. He says his name is Elarion."
That was the first thing I heard when I woke up—muffled words through a half-open door, followed by hushed murmurs and rushed footsteps. At first, I thought I was dreaming. My brain, still groggy from what might have been the first actual rest I'd gotten in days, tried to swat the words away like they were a fly buzzing too close to my ear.
Then the name hit me.
Elarion.
I sat up so fast my head spun. My hands flew to my eye—no pain. My temples—no ache. I half expected to be in the middle of the ocean this time, but I was still in Lucian's bed, still in the fortress, and mercifully, still in my body. Good. That was… reassuring.
I pulled on a fresh set of clothes and made my way, barefoot and half-hoping I was wrong, to Lucian's office.
