Chapter 213

• Elyra
• The morning sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains, painting the room in soft streaks of gold. I stretched my arms over my head, the gentle swell of my belly pressing into the mattress beneath me. Kale stirred beside me, his warmth radiating even through the thin cotton of our sheets. For a fleeting moment, I let myself savor the serenity of it, the peace that had eluded us for so long. The chaos, the threats, the endless schemes, they all felt distant here, confined to the corridors beyond our little sanctuary.
• Kale’s hand found mine, the gesture automatic, instinctive, as if our bodies spoke a language my mind could only half-comprehend. I smiled down at our intertwined fingers, marveling at how natural it felt to lean on him, to share this quiet intimacy. He traced small circles on the back of my hand with his thumb, a gentle rhythm that eased the tension in my shoulders.