I woke to the soft chime of my alarm, the darkness of my room still complete save for the blinking numbers on my clock. Five-thirty in the morning. The sound faded after a few seconds, leaving me staring at the ceiling, feeling clearheaded despite the minimal sleep.
This was the [MYSTICISM] passive at work—after a night of little rest, I should have been dragging myself out of bed. Instead, I felt like a machine calibrated to peak performance, ready to take on the day.
Next to me, Natalia was another story entirely.
She'd sprawled across most of the bed during the night, one leg thrown over mine, her purple hair a tangled mess across my chest and her pillow. Her mouth hung slightly open, a small line of drool connecting her to the sheet.
I placed a hand on her bare shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. "Time to get up, Princess. Big day today."
She responded with a groan that sounded more animal than human, burying her face deeper into the pillow.
