The bedroom was dim when his consciousness slowly returned. His body felt heavy and his eyes couldn't open on command.
Atheline tried to force them open but he couldn't, his body refused to respond to him.
He relaxed, feeling the pain from his chest and stomach but it had become more bearable.
'It seems I got the suppressants'
He stopped trying and waited for his body to wake on its own.
Even in his semi-conscious state, he could still hear Lilith and the healers conversing from afar.
The suppressant, a small round ball of compressed medicine, had been pushed into his mouth and instantly melted.
It tasted different from what he had expected, sweet and with a hint of sourness.
Atheline relaxed his mind and let sleep take him.
When he woke up again, morning had come as sunlight filtered through the closed curtains. This time his eyes fluttered open.
He closed them immediately before opening as they adjusted to the lighting.
The room smelled of herbs and jasmine.
