The cold stone of the corridor pressed against Esteria's back as she stirred awake, her body aching from the discomfort of sleeping outside her room. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind—the tension with Calyx, her decision to retreat to the hallway rather than share a space with him, and the unrelenting ache of exhaustion that had eventually lulled her to sleep.
She stretched her stiff limbs, wincing at the soreness in her shoulders and lower back. The faint light of dawn filtered through the narrow windows, casting a reddish glow over the corridor. It was a new day, one she resolved to face with renewed determination.
