Kiara's POV:

Dipping in and out of consciousness was a weird sensation. It felt as if I was floating in a vast ocean, the surface glimmering with the touch of sunlight just a little out of my reach. Each time I nearly broke through, it danced away, teasing me, tantalizingly close yet so far. My senses were muted, my thoughts garbled, but I was vaguely aware of the fact that I was not alone.

The first thing I heard was a voice, a comforting and familiar sound that pierced through ...