I woke slowly, awareness seeping back into me in careful increments.
The first thing I felt was heaviness. Not the crushing kind from before, but a deep, stubborn weakness that sat in my bones and refused to be ignored. My limbs felt distant, like they belonged to someone else.
The second thing I noticed was the quiet.
Too quiet.
[Good evening, Host,] Nero said pleasantly. [Welcome back to consciousness. Again.]
I blinked, eyes adjusting as I stared up at the canopy above my bed. Pale fabric. Soft light. Familiar.
"It's dark," I murmured.
[Brilliant observation,] Nero replied. [Truly unmatched.]
I turned my head slowly toward the window. Night had already settled fully, the glass reflecting faint moonlight and the silhouettes of palace towers beyond. So I had slept longer than I thought.
My gaze drifted down.
