Livia’s eyes fluttered open, mismatched blue and hazel, scanning the dim room with quiet curiosity. Her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths as she lifted a trembling hand to her face, tracing the stitches that marked her patchwork skin. Confusion lingered in her furrowed brow as she explored her unfamiliar form.

A soft, raspy hum escaped her lips, her first attempt at sound. She flexed her fingers slowly, watching them move with childlike wonder. Everything felt new and strange, yet she remained calm, her gaze shifting between her hands and the shadows around her. Livia was alive but still discovering what that meant.