Rowena woke up with a dull ache. She tried to open her eyes, but the world seemed like a smear of dark colors. Everything was blurred as if she was looking through a thick glass. She tried to move her hand to rub her eyes, but a deep, solid resistance held her wrists in place. She pushed the other arm. The same. She tried to lift her head, but a wave of dizziness hit her, making her skull feel too heavy for her neck.
Rowena blinked several times to fight through the blur. The room slowly came into view. The ceiling above her was high and dark. The light that brightened the room came from a single wall-mounted torch.
Far from the bed, near the edge of the room, stood a masculine figure. He was tall and unmoving, dressed in a long, black cloak that pooled on the stone floor. His face was hidden beneath the hood. And the only thing clearly visible was a green glow at his chest. A pendant hung from his neck, shining like something alive.
