Chapter 9

Aurora’s POV

Pain.

It was the first thing I registered—deep, throbbing, and unrelenting. My body felt heavy, like I was trapped beneath an invisible weight, pinned down by exhaustion. My head pulsed with a dull ache, and no matter how hard I tried, my limbs refused to move.

Somewhere in the distance, I heard voices. Muffled murmurs. The soft beeping of machines. The rhythmic shuffle of footsteps on tile.

I wasn’t dead.

I wasn’t free, either.

The realization settled over me like a thick fog, wrapping around my mind as I fought against the darkness pulling me under.

With a monumental effort, I pried my eyes open.

Blinding light.

I winced, my vision blurring as I adjusted to the sterile brightness of the room. White walls. White curtains. White sheets. The clinical scent of antiseptic filled the air, confirming my suspicion.

I was in an infirmary.

A deep voice, calm yet firm, cut through the haze.

"It’s good to see you awake, child."