Severine had barely taken a few steps forward when Alina stumbled.
She would have hit the ground if not for Andrei quickly moving forward, catching her by the shoulders and steadying her on her feet.
"Alina! What's wrong with you?"
Severine rushed to her side, her own body feeling strangely sluggish, though she pushed the sensation down out of sheer panic for her friend.
Together with Andrei, she helped Alina sit on the small frost-covered rock.
"I... fuck, why are there two of you?" Alina groaned, her head swaying with every movement.
Her striking yellow eyes were glassy, her sight swimming, entirely unable to settle on a single point.
She reached up a heavy, trembling gloved hand to rub at her temple. Her breathing turned shallow and ragged as it fogged in front of her mouth.
"She might be hallucinating," Andrei said after a long beat of observation. He stepped closer and pressed his bare palm over Alina's forehead to check her temperature.
