Alaric woke at dawn to find the bed cold and empty on the other side. The warmth of Amaris's presence has already become a fading memory. A chuckle escaped his lips as he slowly sat up, the blanket slipping away to reveal a small mark of their union—bloodstains on the sheets, undeniable proof that he had been her first. A surge of satisfaction coursed through him as he breathed in deeply, the scent of her still lingering in the air.
He rose from the bed, stretching and let the sunlight pour into the room. The light illuminated the remnants of their night together. With a new sense of motivation, he began preparing.
Meanwhile, Amaris paced back and forth beside her bed, chewing nervously on the tip of her finger as her mind raced. Rosalind stirred from the bed next to hers, rubbing her ey
