Lyra woke to the soft glow of morning light filtering into Kael's quarters, casting a warm, gentle hue over the room. For a few precious moments, she allowed herself to bask in the quiet peace, feeling the strength of Kael's arms around her. It felt surreal—almost like a fragile dream. After everything they'd been through—the mistrust, the battles, the dangers that had followed them relentlessly—this calm, quiet moment felt like something stolen from another life.
She lay still, studying Kael's face as he slept. The usual hardness and intensity that marked his expressions were softened in slumber, and his guard was down, revealing a gentleness she had only caught glimpses of before. This was a side of Kael that no one else saw, and her heart stirred at the thought that he allowed her to see it.
