Nessa woke up with a mild headache, pressing her fingers to her temples as she sat up in bed. The sunlight streaming through her window told her she'd slept later than usual… far later than she normally would have allowed herself, especially with everything happening.
She tried to remember what had happened the night before.
There was something... something about Seraphina. She'd thought about going to question her, hadn't she? The memory felt hazy, like trying to grasp at fog. She remembered thinking about it.
But no, she'd decided against it. It was too risky… too foolish in fact, to go alone.
Yet the decision felt strange in retrospect, as if it hadn't been entirely her own. She rubbed her temples again, trying to dispel the odd sensation.
Shaking off the strange feeling, Nessa got dressed and went to find Emerald. But when she reached her cousin's room, it was empty. The bed was made, clearly untouched, meaning she probably didn't sleep here last night.
