Aveline felt a sharp tug at her hair.
She frowned and slowly opened her eyes, still trapped beneath the weight of restless sleep. Hamilton was perched beside her pillow, his tiny jaws firmly gripping a strand of her hair while he tugged insistently. His little wings fluttered in frantic bursts, his amber eyes fixed on her with unusual urgency.
Despite everything, a tired smile tugged at her lips. She reached out and stroked his tiny head. "What is it, Hamilton?"
A whisper brushed across her mind. Not through her ears. Not spoken aloud.
"Lydia..."
Aveline's smile vanished. Her eyes snapped fully open.
She sat upright so abruptly that Hamilton stumbled backward onto the blanket before scrambling onto his feet again.
"...Hamilton?"
Her heart quickened.
She had understood him; not his emotions or vague impressions like she usually sensed from the magical creatures.
A word. A clear word.
She stared at the tiny creature. "Did... did you just speak to me?"
