Damien’s pov:
I woke up slowly, feeling like my body was dragging me back from somewhere deep and dark.
The first thing I noticed was how weak I felt. It wasn't the sharp sting of a new wound, but a heavy, draining kind of tired, like my strength had just leaked out of me drop by drop. My arms and legs felt too heavy to even move. Every time I breathed, my chest felt tight and careful, like my body wasn't sure it could handle the effort of a real breath.
Then, the memories started coming back.
It wasn't the sound of the guns, or the blood, or even the crashing of the waves.
It was her.
I remembered Sera’s hands.
They were so soft. She touched me so carefully, almost like I was something precious. I remembered how she cleaned my wounds. Her fingers had been shaking at first, but then
