Lila gasped as she jolted upright, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her breath came in short, and her fingers trembled as they clutched the sheets beneath her. Cold sweat clung to her skin, and yet her body felt unbearably hot—burning from the phantom pain of a wound she had never received in this lifetime.
She reached up, pressing a hand against her damp cheeks. Tears.
She was crying.
A dream? A nightmare?
No—it was too real.
She could still feel the weight of the sword in her hands. The sharp sting of cold steel piercing her skin. The suffocating agony of betrayal. The warmth of Axel's arms wrapped around her as the life drained from her body.
Lila's breathing hitched as she swallowed back a sob.
What was that?
Why did it feel like a memory rather than a dream?
She turned her head, her gaze landing on Axel, who was lying beside her, his back turned. His breathing was steady, as if he were deep in sleep, but something felt off.
