"Ava!"
Ariel lurched forward, drenched in sweat, her breath coming in sharp, panicked bursts.
She had seen Ava. Falling.
The dream clung to her like a second skin, refusing to fade. The memory was thick, suffocating.
She had reached for her. Screamed for her.
For Ava.
Her hands trembled as she gripped the silk sheets beneath her. Her chest felt tight. Wrong. Like something was missing. Like she had lost something she couldn't even name.
She sucked in a shaky breath. "Ava…"
A knock at the door made her jump.
She swallowed the scream clawing up her throat.
The door creaked open.
A dwarf stepped inside.
Ezekiel.
His bushy brows furrowed the moment he saw her face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Ariel wiped her damp forehead, exhaling. "Something like that."
Ezekiel didn't press. He simply walked in, balancing a tray full of food as if it were sacred. Setting it down, he placed his hands on his hips, studying her.
"You had a nightmare."
