A sharp knock yanks me from an unexpected slumber.

My eyes snap open, confusion clouding my groggy mind. Every muscle in my body protests as I shift, realizing I had fallen asleep where I sat. My shirt is creased from the couch’s upholstery, and the dim light filtering through the window suggests I’ve slept much longer than I intended. Clearly, the journey had drained more from me than I’d anticipated.

"Come in," I manage, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I ...