Bound by Consequence

PIPER’S POV

I woke up choking on pain. Sharp raw pain.

It hit first, sharp, blinding, splitting my skull open from the inside. My head throbbed like it was being crushed in a vise, every heartbeat a brutal reminder that something was very, very wrong.

My mouth tasted metallic. Blood. Dried and bitter against my tongue. I tried to lift my hand to wipe it away. I couldn’t. Panic surged so fast it st