Elsie’s POV

I woke up with a gasp, my chest heaving as though I’d just run a marathon. My entire body felt tense, as if I’d been in a battle. Sweat clung to my skin, and my heart thundered in my chest. For a moment, I couldn’t tell where I was. My surroundings blurred, my mind still caught in the haze of the nightmare or was it something more?

“Elsie!” Madriod’s concerned voice pulled me back to reality. He rushed over, sitting on the edge of the bed. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I tried to speak, but my throat felt dry. I reached for the glass of water on...