It took a while before Lunara stirred.
The steady beeping of the monitor was the only sound in the quiet hospital room. Her eyes fluttered open, slow and heavy, as though waking from a long, weighted dream. The ceiling above was white and unfamiliar but the warmth around her hand grounded her.
She looked down.
Eryx was there, asleep, his head resting beside her on the bed, one hand gently wrapped around hers. His brows were furrowed even in sleep, as if he'd been worrying even while unconscious.
Lunara blinked slowly, her throat dry, her chest tight not just from the pain, but from the strange, heavy silence pressing against her ribs.
"Eryx…" she whispered, her voice hoarse and barely there.
Lunara's throat felt like sandpaper, dry and scratchy. She swallowed, wincing slightly. The ache in her lower stomach pulsed with each breath, deep and sore. Something was missing, she could feel it, even if her mind hadn't caught up yet.
