Take it off. Now

The first thing I noticed as I slowly regained consciousness was the distant sound of water dripping. My head felt heavy, like I'd been asleep for days, and my body was sluggish, weighed down by exhaustion.

Blinking, I opened my eyes to see the dim glow of a fire casting flickering shadows on the walls of a cave. The air smelled of smoke and something savory fish, maybe.

It took me a moment to remember everything. The avalanche. The suffocating wave of snow. Zaya's arms around me, her voice a distant, muffled reassurance. And then—nothing. I'd fainted like some damsel in distress.

With a groan, I sat up, my head spinning slightly from the effort. The fire was crackling softly a few feet away, and near it, Zaya was crouched by the water.

She looked utterly drained, her shoulders slouched and her movements deliberate but slow, as though each action cost her more energy than she wanted to admit.