Tears began to roll down her cheeks as the light slowly faded away.
As the golden light vanished, a deep, heavy darkness took its place.
Delaney started feeling the physical world again. She felt the thick warmth of the heavy blankets covering her body. She felt the soft linen pillows beneath her head. And then, a dull, throbbing pain returned to her temples.
Slowly, the muffled sounds of the real world began to reach her ears.
She started hearing voices. They were quiet, hushed, and very serious. They were coming from just outside a door.
"…I do not know, Your Grace," a man's voice said with a heavy sigh. It was the voice of an older, educated gentleman. "It is as if she simply does not want to wake up. Her body is resting, but her mind is far away."
Delaney lay perfectly still, her eyes closed, listening to the conversation.
