The morning was unusually calm. Birds darted through the air outside the window, their chirping weaving through the growing sounds of the capital waking up, another reminder that this place had somehow kept breathing while everything beyond the walls had turned into ashes.
Sunlight poured through the glass in thick, golden beams, settling warm and heavy across my bare back. I had gotten used to it, this simple luxury of safety and light.
I sat on the edge of Sherry's bed, shirtless, letting the warmth sink deep into my skin.
Last night had been more than I'd expected. Deeper. Better than the first time, which I hadn't thought was possible.
My comms buzzed with a missed call from Daphne. I stared at the notification for a long moment before deciding I'd deal with it once I left.
[Twenty-eight days to the Awakening.]
The system arrived right on schedule, cold and precise, yanking me back to reality.
