Mm!
What woke Jasna was not the endless banging outside.
It was not the howling wind, nor the thudding of something outside striking the wall against which the head of her bed rested.
It was pain.
Pain roused her from her stupor.
She opened her sleepy eyes. The first thing she saw was a blurry haze, as though several layers of gray gauze hung before her eyes.
As she blinked hard, trying to make out her surroundings, Jasna attempted to brace herself against the soft mattress with her elbows and sit up.
Unfortunately, both attempts failed.
The haze in her vision was remarkably stubborn. No matter how often she blinked, the murk never faded.
Had it not been for her keen senses telling her that her vision did grow brighter with each attempt, she would have believed her sight had been irreparably damaged.
Nor could she sit up.
When she tried to gather her strength into her arms, the aching soreness and numb stiffness radiating from every muscle made her let out pained whimpers.
Even with her formidable willpower, she could not suppress that agony.
Still, this pain was nothing compared to the piercing, needle-like torment shooting through her right calf. It was merely the result of lying in bed for too long.
After taking two breaths, Jasna stopped struggling.
She had slept for too long, and her mind was still somewhat muddled. Yet her memories recovered far faster than her body.
She was alive. That was the first thing she could confirm.
The second before she lost consciousness, roaring flames and shrieking spell-light had filled her swaying vision.
But as enormous boulders rained down, the blustering shouts of the German Ministry of Magic's Aurors, her father's voice, Bellatrix's crazed laughter, and the clamoring cries of those cowardly Death Eaters