AVIONA'S POV
Silence dragged me from sleep, heavy and unfamiliar, and the bed felt too wide… too empty.
King Faelan was nowhere in sight, yet the muted splash of water from the adjoining chamber told me he was bathing, already preparing for the day.
I pushed myself upright, my gaze drifting to the space he had left behind. The warmth still lingered there, the sheets rumpled and creased, his pillow holding the faint impression of his head—as though he’d only just slipped away.
I drew in a deep breath, pressing myself more firmly against the headboard while my mind wandered back to last night.
When he returned from his meeting with Queen Estelle, I’d never seen him look so burdened and weary. His expression was grim and weighted—the kind one wore only when something had gone terribly wr
