Chapter 22. Welcome Back

Caliana’s POV

I woke slowly, drifting back to consciousness on a tide of warmth and unfamiliar scents. For a moment, I thought I was still dreaming. The air around me was thick with something sweet and golden, something that reminded me of summer mornings and open fields. When my eyes finally fluttered open, the sight before me stole my breath.

Flowers.

So many flowers.

They were everywhere—lining the windowsill, clustered on the side table, spilling from tall vases placed carefully along the walls. Sunflowers dominated the room, their bright yellow petals catching the light and reflecting it back like little suns. My favorite. Always had been. Their faces were turned toward the window, as if reaching for the daylight, cheerful and stubborn and alive.

For several seconds, I sim