The soft hum of the Astral Express served as the backdrop to your restless breaths. You lay on the small cot in your quarters, feeling the fever’s warmth envelop you like an unwelcome companion. Each shiver that wracked your body left you weaker than before, yet you tried to put on a brave front.

A knock at the door broke the stillness. Before you could respond, it slid open, revealing Dan Heng in his Imbibitor Lunae form. The dragon-like horns that framed his face glinted faintly in the dim light, his teal eyes soft with concern.

“You didn’t tell anyone you weren’t feeling well,” he said, stepping inside with quiet grace, the door closing behind him. “March noticed you weren’t at dinner, and I came to check on you.”

You tried to sit up, but the effort sent a wave of dizziness through you. Dan Heng was at your side in an instant, his strong hands gently pressing you back against the pillows.