Leela felt weak and dizzy. She wanted to open her eyes, but her strength had abandoned her. A soft touch brushed against her cheek, a caress full of tenderness, and she muttered something unintelligible. The fingers withdrew instantly, as if the contact had startled her. A sudden chill filled the air, and the absence of the one who’d been beside her struck like a wave of emptiness.

Slowly, she began to regain consciousness, and at last, she managed to open her eyes—only to be blinded by the sharp light pouring through the window. She became aware of the softness of the sheets beneath her and panicked as she realized she...