Slowly, incredibly slowly, Queen Dora's thick eyelashes fluttered.
The entire laboratory seemed to hold its collective breath. Even the ambient humming of the residual magic in the air felt completely muted in the face of this profound moment. The morning sunlight streaming through the tall arched windows caught the dust motes dancing in the air, creating a soft, golden halo around the polished marble dais.
Queen Dora opened her eyes. They were the exact same striking, brilliantly intelligent blue as her son's eyes, though they were currently clouded with a heavy veil of confusion and exhaustion. She blinked several times, her gaze slowly adjusting to the bright light of the room. Her eyes darted from the high stone ceiling down to the complex crystal conduits hovering just above her body. Finally, her wandering gaze settled on the face of the man standing perfectly frozen beside her.
"Jaren," she whispered.
