The tension that had gripped Iryna's chambers finally began to dissipate. The lifeless gray tint that had settled over her face disappeared, leaving behind the first signs of healthy color.
She remained deeply asleep, breathing steadily now, as though the danger had never been there at all.
Standing near the edge of the bed, Gillian watched his sister with a heavy mixture of relief and absolute disbelief. The sheer weight of the last hour pressed down on his shoulders, making the luxury of the palace feel more like a golden cage than ever before. He slowly turned his head to look at Marielle, who stood a few paces away with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
"To pull someone back from the very brink of death like that..." Gillian said. "What a truly terrifying, great power to possess."
