ARIANA

I woke up slowly, feeling the weight of exhaustion that had settled into my bones after the long journey. Blinking, I sat up and glanced around, realizing I must have fallen asleep the moment I set foot in this room. The familiar surroundings seemed both comforting and strange after so much time away. I stretched, my muscles tight, then slipped out of bed and padded over to the window.

The room was dim, the shadows stretching across the walls as I reached for the heavy curtains. Sliding them aside, I was met with a view of the vast grounds outside, bathed in the silvery light of the moon. It...