Amara blinked awake, the sterile ceiling tiles of the hospital coming into sharp focus. The last thing she remembered was Elara sitting by her side, fussing over her like she'd come back from war instead of surviving a minor scuffle. It wasn't as if she'd lost a limb, but Elara had been hovering with the intensity of a hawk watching over its nest.
She groaned, pushing herself up in bed, feeling the twinge of soreness but refusing to admit it even to herself. Hospitals were hardly her idea of a five-star retreat, and waking up in one was about as pleasant as discovering you'd just eaten an entire block of tofu by mistake.
"Amara, you're up!" Elara's voice was light, almost too bright, as she slipped into the room, carrying a tray loaded with what could generously be called breakfast. "I got you food! You didn't eat anything last night, and they said you need to keep up your strength."
