Lyra
When I woke up, the first thing I was aware of was them — all three of my mates wrapped around me, arms layered over arms in something that felt like it had been arranged by instinct rather than thought. Soren’s chest pressed warm against my back, his hands loosely clasped across my stomach, his breathing slow and even, rising and falling in a rhythm that pulled me toward calm without even trying.
I shifted deeper into Vaelin’s hold, letting myself sink into the safety of it, and my smile came without any effort at all. The morning light was already slipping through the curtains, soft and golden, spreading itself over all of us, over the quiet of the room. My chest felt full in a way that was hard to put into words.
As I moved, Vaelin’s arm tightened — just slightly, just enough —
