MeritSunlight filtered through the open curtains, pale and warm, and a slight breeze made the fabric move in slow, lazy waves. Curtains? The thought surfaced sluggishly, disconnected. She blinked, lashes sticking together, and shifted on the bed. The mattress dipped softly beneath her weight, unfamiliar but comfortable. The room was painted a light yellow, not the sterile white she half-expected, and the sheet draped over her was soft cotton, worn thin in a way that suggested use rather than neglect. The pillows beneath her head were plump and forgiving, cradling her neck instead of forcing it into stiffness. Her chest tightened as awareness crept in.“Don’t try to sit up too fast,” a voice said.Her head snapped to the side on instinct, panic flaring white-hot. She scrambled to her knees, heart racing, and the room spun violently. Her hand flew to her head as dizziness overtook her, nausea rolling through her stomach in a sickening wave. Gentle hands caught her shoulders, steady but
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