{Oh, don't act like you didn't enjoy the view, Rael,} Saya chimed in, her voice echoing with a playful smirk I could practically feel. {A Queen's silk gown isn't exactly high-coverage armor, you know.}
'I said shut up,' I snapped mentally, though my burning cheeks probably betrayed me.
The weight of my reality came crashing back down. I wasn't just a guest in a magical kingdom; I was a survivor of a massacre. My father was gone. My sister... I didn't even want to think about the "ifs" yet.
"System Infinite," I called out internally. "Status on the others. Is my mother awake?"
[Scanning...] The mechanical voice flickered to life, then a screen appeared.
—
Subject: Mother.
Vital signs are stable. She has entered a state of deep REM sleep, likely assisted by the Queen's healers. She has not regained consciousness yet.
Subjects: Ella, Yoonhe, and Emily are also resting.
No immediate threats detected.
—
