Chapter 204: Whispers Beneath the Frost
After the intense training session, Orion suggested the trainees rest. He had very little time to spend with Sophia until night.
Even when he got home, he realized she wasn't in his house, so he sneaked into hers, where he found her sound asleep. Without a word, he removed his shoes and took his place right beside her, his hand draped over her waist.
The moon skinned the snow in thin silver; the stars were pinpricks in a cold sky. Inside, the small hearth had died to gray. Silence pooled between them like water.
Sleep had taken Sophia the moment her body touched the bed. But what was once peaceful wasn't peaceful anymore.
It started softly—everywhere painted in white. Snow swallowed sound, muffled motion.
Sophia stood barefoot amidst the snow, the cold biting through her skin until it woke both pain and heat.
