LILAC

I thought I died.

The sharp, icy sensation of the dagger's blade piercing my side remains etched in my memory like a fevered nightmare that won’t release its hold. My last breaths came slow, agonizing, as the warmth drained from my body, and my consciousness dimmed like the fading embers of a fire. Somewhere in those fractured, fleeting moments, I felt an overwhelming peace settle in, a quiet acceptance. The pain softened, my heartbeat slowed, and the world slipped into darkness. I ...