Aliya’s POV

My eyes refused to open, and every time I tried, they slipped shut again. My whole body felt heavy and numb, like I couldn’t move a single muscle no matter how hard I fought.

With one desperate push, my eyelids fluttered and parted, revealing a crooked ceiling fan that spun in lazy circles, dangling as though it was seconds away from crashing down. Maybe it would take me with it.

A pounding ache surged through my skull, forcing me to squint as I tried to make out my surroundings, but all I saw was darkness wrapped around an unfamiliar room.

“Where the fuck am I?” I whispered, my...