I gasped awake, my chest rising and falling in quick and shallow breaths. My body jolted upright and my heart hammered against my ribs like it was about to pop out.
Something felt very odd.
I wasn't in my cold, damp cell or the tight folds of Thania's sheets.
There was no scent of blood or decay, no hard stone floor beneath me. And the usual loud chattering of girls was gone.
I was wrapped in comfort and warmth. A bed as soft as dough cradled my body, the sheets were as smooth as silk against my skin. Above me, a golden canopy stretched across the ceiling. It embroidered with roses and twisting vines. The air smelled of lavender and honey, and the large bay window in front of my bed granted me an unobstructed view of the mountains.
Where the hell was I?
