A morning breeze, light and cool, floated through the open windows, ruffling her hair and drying the cold sweat on her. 

The bright cloudless sky beckoned outside, the sun smiling like a mother smiling down at her daughter.

“Thank the Moon Goddess you’re awake, Sasha.”

She loosened a breath before lifting her face to the Healer. Shiera Starr, she realized. Beta Giro’s sister.

Her eyes darted from the Healer down to her own body.

Sasha’s eyes widened when she beheld her right wrist down to her palm. The white cloth wrapped around it still held stains of blood.

“So that was never a dream…”

“Apparently it’s not.” Shiera touched Sasha’s...