"Agh…" Ariana groaned softly as her eyes fluttered open.
The world came back to her in fragments. First, the dull weight pressing against her body. Then the faint hum of silence, broken only by steady breathing somewhere close. Her limbs felt heavy, slightly numb, as if they had slept for far too long. Her throat burned, raw and tight, the kind of ache that followed hours of crying or screaming she could barely remember.
She swallowed with difficulty and turned her head.
A familiar face lay beside her on the bed, eyes closed, breathing slow and even. Dark lashes rested against pale skin, exhaustion etched into features that usually carried composure with ease. Ariana's gaze softened instantly.
Before she could speak, a calm voice came from the other side.
"She wanted to stay awake to take care of you."
Ariana shifted her eyes toward the sound.
