Meanwhile,

Aria

The medicinal scent of the infirmary was a thick, suffocating veil.

I drifted in the gray space between consciousness and the abyss, my body feeling like lead, but my ears - sharpened by my awakening - picked up every vibration in the room.

Hushed voices hissed near the heavy oak door.

"It’s a miracle she’s even standing, let alone fighting," the healer whispered, her voice gravelly and tight with a fear she couldn't hide from Kaelen.

"Talk to me, Martha. What did the blood work show?" Kaelen’s voice was a low, dangerous rumble.

"Toxins, Alpha. Layers of them. It’s not just one substance; it’s a cocktail. High concentrations...