"All fine," Sara says, because as far as she knows, it's true. The four years she spent in Emberia feel like something out of a dream. Like she closed her eyes for two minutes after the battle and suddenly time jumped forward without her knowledge. "Tell me about you and the other mages. I want to hear it all."

She really does, but as Alice obliges her and starts talking, Sara feels an intense warmth settling around her soul. It's soothing and prompts forth a level of exhaustion that she hasn't felt in ages. Her eyelids grow heavy and she blinks lazily, deciding to close them for a moment. One moment turns into several, and eventually, Alice’s voice falls quiet. Then a quilt is placed around her shoulders, and a split second before exhaustion completely steals her away, lips brush against her forehead.