Celestia gasped and opened her eyes wide. Her heart was beating fast, and her skin was damp with sweat. It was the same nightmare again—the one that kept coming back. She turned her head and looked beside her. Kieran was still asleep, lying peacefully. His hand was resting gently on her stomach.
She stared at him for a moment. He looked calm and warm, and part of her wanted to stay beside him. But the heavy feeling in her chest wouldn’t go away. Carefully, she lifted his hand and placed it beside him, making sure not to wake him. Then, she stood up quietly and walked out of their quarters.
The morning breeze was cool. Celestia rubbed her arms with her hands as she stepped outside. The sun hadn’t fully risen, but the sky was turning orange. Around the camp, a few Southerners were already
