Scarlett woke up with her head throbbing, feeling like someone had taken a hammer to her temples. Her entire body ached, muscles protesting as if she'd spent the night running instead of sleeping. The dream training with Lucien felt impossibly vivid, more memory than dream.
As she stretched, working out the strange exhaustion that seemed to have settled into her bones, the unexpected sound of humming drifted up from downstairs, accompanied by the smell of pancakes and coffee.
Humming? Her mom never hummed anymore. Not since...
Scarlett glanced around instinctively as she made her way down the stairs, checking for the usual signs of her father's presence - empty bottles, scattered papers, the lingering smell of cheap whiskey. Nothing. The knot in her chest loosened slightly.
Her mom sto
