{Alora's POV}Morning came without clarity.The light found its way into the room in a slow, steady wash, slipping past the curtains and settling across the walls and floor as though nothing had shifted overnight. It carried the same quiet presence it always did, gentle and undemanding, but it didn’t feel like anything that belonged to me.I opened my eyes to it without knowing when I had fallen asleep.There was no sense of rest behind it. My body felt heavier than it should have, my limbs slow to respond as I shifted slightly against the mattress. For a moment, I stayed there, staring upward, letting the ceiling come into focus in pieces rather than all at once.Nothing pressed.Nothing pulled.It was quieter than the night before, but not in a way that felt different. Just… continued.I pushed myself up slowly, the movement taking more effort than it should have. The dull ache behind my eyes had settled into something constant, no longer sharp enough to draw attention, but present
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