Ethan;
Sleep refuses to come.
It doesn't matter how long I lie there staring at the ceiling, or how many times I turn from one side of the bed to the other.
My mind keeps replaying the same scenes over and over again, like it's stuck on a loop I can't shut off.
The way Keahi looked at Aurelian.
The way Aurelian spoke without raising his voice…
The way the room went quiet when he said he knew where his brother was.
Blood for protection.
The words don't leave me alone. They can't.
I squeeze my eyes shut and inhale slowly, but my chest still feels tight... Heavy.
Like something has sat against me and will sink me into this bed if I don't get off.
I let out a breath and roll onto my side. I glance at the time on my phone and find that it's past midnight.
Of course it is.
With another quiet sigh, I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. There's no point pretending I'll fall asleep like this.
