Ember's POV

For the second time today, my eyes fluttered open. I sprang up from the bed, panicking. It felt like I just broke free from the binds of sleep. My encounter with Alina playing all over in my head again.

At first it felt like a dream. The more I drowned in the abyss of sleep the more it felt like I only saw her in my dreams but I was no fool.

She was here!

Right here beside me, patting my head as I slowly fell asleep. I didn't dream of her patting my head. I fell asleep watching her pat my head after injecting me with a...