AT THE SAME TIME
MEI SHEN'S POINT OF VIEW:
The throbbing in my skull sharpened, turning into a searing, twisting pain that made it hard to focus. My hands gripped the fabric of my robe as my vision blurred at the edges. It felt like something was trying to claw its way into my mind or out of it.
"Ah-" I gasped softly, biting back a cry.
The cup I held slipped from my fingers and shattered on the floor. Huan stirred in his sleep, mumbling faintly, but I couldn't move to soothe him. My chest felt tight, and every sound in the room seemed amplified: the crackle of the lantern flames, the rustle of leaves outside, even the faint hum of Zeyrith's presence.
"Little star…" Zeyrith's voice was uncharacteristically sharp now. "That's not just a headache. Something or someone is pushing through. You need to hold on."
The system's voice overlapped, urgent and clipped.
