Meret woke up to a sharp sting of light brushing against her face. The sunlight poured in through a slit in the curtain, hitting her eyes no matter how many times she tried to turn away. She groaned softly and shifted, but the beam followed her like it was intentional, warm and blinding all at once.

Her head pounded. The ache behind her eyes throbbed with every heartbeat, dragging her slowly out of the fog she was in.

When she finally blinked fully awake, the room came into focus — small, ...