The warmth of late afternoon sunlight filtered through the curtains when I stirred awake. My body felt heavy, like I had been drifting in a deep, dreamless slumber for hours. The soft ticking of the clock on the wall and the rhythmic breathing of Mireya and Maxen still asleep beside me filled the quiet room. Hugo wasn't next to me—his scent, the faint trace of lime, lingered on the couch where he must have been sitting before he got up.
I blinked slowly and sat up, rubbing my eyes. The house felt calmer now. The air no longer trembled with the aftershock of battle or the residue of unstable energy from the rift. Instead, it felt like peace—fragile, new, and precious.
My gaze drifted toward the open window. Outside, the garden was bathed in soft golden light. The faint sound of footsteps and voices came from the front door. I immediately recognized one of them.
Kael Draven.
