You need to heal

I woke up, my body aching and my head throbbing. Blinking, I took in my surroundings. I was in my room, in my bed, and everything felt like a disorienting blur. The last thing I remembered was stumbling toward the castle entrance, then seeing Aeliana's face before everything went dark.

Groaning, I turned my head and froze. There, right next to me, was Aeliana, asleep. Her face looked peaceful, her chest rising and falling steadily. Panic surged through me, and I scrambled to get out of bed, only to end up tangled in the sheets and crashing to the floor.

"Fuck!" I hissed, pain shooting through my already battered body. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, a chaotic rhythm that matched the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind. What was Aeliana doing here? Why was she in my bed? I felt a hot flush of embarrassment crawl up my neck, spreading across my cheeks like wildfire.

The noise woke Aeliana, and she sat up, her eyes wide with alarm. "Ciara! Are you okay?"