Then…Something prickled at the back of my neck. My eyes snapped open. The feeling was subtle. But unmistakable. Someone was watching me. No. Not someone. Many. Too many. My Qi reacted instantly. It spread outward in silent waves, invisible threads expanding beyond my body, scanning the room, the walls, the air, the very space around me.
Nothing. There was nothing. No presence. No intruder. No hostility. The room was empty. Peaceful. Still. Too still. I frowned. My intuition had never lied to me before. Not once. Slowly, I sat up.
The silk sheets slid down my skin with a soft whisper. I reached for the glass of water on my bedside table, my fingers slightly unsteady. The water trembled faintly as I lifted it, reflecting the dim golden light of the enchanted lamp.
I drank. Cool. Real. Grounding. I exhaled slowly. "Just tired," I muttered. I stood and walked toward the window. The marble floor was cold beneath my bare feet.
