Morning came softly.
Not with alarms or horns or the sharp edge of duty—but with warmth.
Diana drifted in that fragile space between sleep and waking, where the world felt distant and gentle, where nothing yet demanded her strength. Her senses stirred first, as they always did. The air was warmer than she remembered. Steady. Safe.
The first thing she became aware of was the rise and fall beneath her cheek.
A heartbeat.
Strong. Even. Unmistakably alive.
Her breath caught—not in fear, but in wonder—as awareness slid fully into place.
Talon.
The realization sent a quiet ripple through the bond, a soft pulse of recognition that hummed deep in her chest. It was like touching a current—subtle, constant, reassuring. Almost immediately, she felt something answer back. His attention brushed
