>>Ariston
I drifted back into awareness slowly, the weight of sleep still pressing down on me. My eyelids fluttered open, the dim light of the room filtering through the slits between my lashes. My body felt heavy, my breath slow and deep. One arm lay draped over my eyes, shielding them from the world.
I let out a long sigh.
For a while, I stayed like that, staring into the darkness behind my arm, trying to push away the remnants of the dream—the memory. But it clung to me, a cold, unwelcome presence.
With a quiet breath, I shifted, lowering my arm just enough to let my gaze settle on the ceiling. My red eyes reflected back at me in the faint light, and I inhaled sharply before forcing myself to sit up. The bed creaked slightly under my weight as I swung my legs over the edge, my bare feet touching the cool floor.
I only meant to take a nap…
That was all. The princess had gone out with her husband, leaving me with nothing to do. I'd let my guard down, let sleep claim me.
