Chapter 109

• Heartache.
• That is the very first sensation that registers in Anastasia's mind. It starts as a dull, persistent pounding behind her eyes, reminiscent of a relentless hammer striking against the inside of her skull. Her mouth feels parched, her tongue sitting heavily with an unpleasant thickness, retaining the taste of the reckless abandon from the night before.
• A soft groan escapes her lips as she pulls the covers over her face in a futile attempt to shield herself from the invasive sunlight, desperately trying to surrender back into slumber. Yet, she is harshly pulled into consciousness by the echoes of a vivid and turbulent dream—or perhaps it is a memory.