The golden sun had not yet crested the horizon when Heiko stirred, his senses sharpening even before his eyes opened fully. The castle around them was eerily still—its walls unfamiliar, its silence heavier than the royal chambers he had left behind.
He turned his head slowly… and there she was.
Curled up beside him in the wide guest bed, her breathing shallow with exhaustion, River looked fragile in sleep—her features soft, her lashes long against pale cheeks, a thin crease between her brows that hadn’t faded even in slumber. One hand was loosely clenched against her chest, trembling faintly.
Heiko's chest ached.
He reached out slowly and caressed her hair, running his fingers through the soft, blonde strands. She didn’t stir, only curled slightly deeper into the pillow, like her body
