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THE FIRST THING WILLOW SAW WAS A WHITE CEILING, COVERED IN SILVER PAINTED STARS. The strong scent of jasmine and lavender clung to the air and a soft breeze fluttered over her face as she blinked her eyes open. The woman lay there, frozen, wondering if this was the afterlife. If there even was an afterlife. Willow had no idea.
Her body felt heavy as if her bones were made out of stone and her throat felt like dry and raw. It was disorientating to feel such comfort at her back as she sunk deep into the plush softness of a mattress.
The pain that had haunted her in the Illyrian camp had gone, currently no trace of it left. Willow swallowed and grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling and turned her head slowly, taking in the bedchamber she was in. It was warm, fire lit in the fireplace to her left and the sound of crackling wood filled the quiet space.
There were large windows and she could see the sky darkening, some far away stars like little specks in the distance. The bed she laid in was massive and soft, adorned by many quilts of cream and ivory. There was a door to her right, slightly ajar and she guessed it led to a bathing chamber, the floor made out of white marble. The rest of the room was neatly decorated, with dark wooden armoires and a plush maroon chair in the corner.
It was grander then she had ever seen, the bedroom was larger than her living room back home. The dark haired woman pushed herself onto her elbows and glanced down at herself. Ripping the sheets away from her body, she clenched her jaw and she felt a bout of anxiety creep through her veins. The dress she had been wearing before was gone, instead she wore a pair of black linnen pants and a large cream sweater. Lifting the fabric, she saw the bandages around her waist and a small patch of dark red blood seeping through.
"You're awake."
Willow snapped her head toward the foot of the bed and met a pair of blue-grey eyes. The Fae woman was beautiful and her golden brown hair rested along her shoulders in neat waves. There was nothing ominous in her gaze as she smiled kindly at Willow, but she still wore Night Court colours, just as she was now dressed in.
"Where am I?" asked Willow, her voice coming out weaker than she would have liked. "Who are you?"
The female's lips quirked a bit higher and she rested her hands in front of her as she glanced out the window for a moment. "My name is Feyre and you're in a city of ours, in The Night Court."
Willow blinked at that and pushed herself back against the headboard, taking the sheets with her as if to shield herself from prying eyes.
"What is your name?" asked Feyre, and she felt a familiar sense of dread coming from the unknown Fae woman. "You do not have to be afraid, you are safe here."
