Slowly, Sophie's consciousness returned.
The first thing she felt was her breathing, a strange heaviness accompanying each rise and fall of her chest. The air carried the faint scent of medicinal herbs mixed with pinewood, along with the freshness unique to the break of dawn.
Her eyelids felt heavy, as though something invisible was pressing them down.
"Sophie...?"
A trembling voice sounded beside her ear, so familiar that her heart suddenly skipped a beat when she heard it.
Sophie struggled to open her eyes. Morning light slipped through the gaps in the blinds, forcing her to squint slightly. The first thing she saw was Cassie's face, bloodshot yet filled with joy. Cassie tightly held her hand, her knuckles pale from gripping too hard, her palm covered in sweat.
"Cassie..." Sophie's voice was so hoarse it barely sounded like her own. It felt like a different person talking.
