Chapter 29: Family Dinner
Adrian’s vision blurred and library’s shelves faded into a void as the searing pain in his skull peaked.
When he opened his eyes, the pain was gone, replaced by a surprising clarity. He was lying on his bed, the familiar quilt soft beneath him.
The room was dimly lit by a single candle on the desk, casting flickering shadows. His gaze shifted, and his heart jolted — Serena sat beside him, her face buried in her hands, sobbing quietly.
Her curls were disheveled, and her shoulders trembled with each muffled breath.
"Serena?"
Her head snapped up immediately.
"Adrian!" She scrambled onto the bed, wrapping him in a tight hug before he could react. "You’re awake!"
"Yeah, I am," he said, patting her back awkwardly. "What happened? Why were you crying?"
She pulled back, stammering through tears. "W-we found you... on the library floor. You weren’t waking up, Adrian! We thought... we thought something terrible happened. The healer used her magic, said it was just exhaustion, that you needed rest, but... but we didn’t know if you’d... I was so worried."
Adrian sighed inwardly. ’So that’s what happened.’ Out loud, he then said, "You’re not supposed to worry, Serena. I’m fine now, right?"
She nodded, wiping her face with her sleeve. "Y-yeah. You look okay." She hesitated, then brightened slightly. "Aunty just came by and said dinner’s ready. You missed lunch. Want to come?"