Aveloria opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she noticed was that the ceiling above her was different. It was not the carved wooden canopy of her bed in the palace. The ceiling was made of smooth, grey stone, and simple lines and symbols she couldn't recognize were carved into it. The second thing she noticed was the quiet; this place felt different. The air smelled of herbs and burning incense.
Her head hurt so badly when she turned it slightly on the pillow. She tried to move and felt a dull pain spread through her body. She let out a slight sound before she could stop herself.
Immediately, voices reacted.
"She's awake."
"Slowly. Don't move too fast."
Three familiar faces appeared above her. Theron, Galen, and Lucien. She focused entirely on Theron first. His expression was tight with worry. Galen was next to him, his arms crossed, but his shoulder tensed. Lucien was watching her, as if he were afraid she might disappear again.
