The morning sun was soft and golden when I woke up. For the first time in days, the pain was gone. My body still felt weak, but not broken anymore. The smell of herbs filled the small room, mixed with the faint smoke from Lena’s fire.
She was humming softly as she crushed dried leaves into a bowl. When she noticed I was awake, she smiled gently. “You’re healing fast,” she said. “Looks like my blood likes you.”
I tried to smile back. “Thank you, Lena. I… I don’t know how to repay you.”
She waved her hand. “You don’t have to. Just rest.”
The warmth of her voice made me feel safe again. For a while, I thought the world outside had gone quiet — no fights, no stares, no pain.
But that peace didn’t last long.
There was a knock at the door. Three slow knocks — calm but heavy. Lena looked up
