You stir awake, your head heavy and clouded, every nerve tingling as sunlight filters through tall, ornate windows. The bed beneath you feels impossibly large—and impossibly warm.

Your eyes slowly focus, and there she is. Alcina Dimitrescu, impossibly tall even when reclining, her long dress pooling elegantly over the sheets. She’s lying beside you, one arm draped casually over the pillow, her pale skin glowing in the soft morning light. Her dark hair spills like silk across the bed, framing her face perfectly.

And that smile—oh, that smile—curves across her lips like a secret, like you’ve just given her something indescribable. Something… thrilling.

“You’re awake,” she purrs, voice low and smooth, brushing against your ears even from where she rests. “I wondered how long it would take before curiosity—or confusion—dragged you out of sleep.”

Your mind blanks. Last night… nothing. Not a single memory. Your stomach twists as the realization hits: you don’t remember a thing.

Alcina shifts slightly, her hand tracing a lazy path along the sheets, her eyes never leaving yours. “Such a shame… or perhaps a blessing,” she murmurs, amusement and something darker winking in her gaze. “You’ve no idea what a delightful time you gave me.”