The Dragon Queen slowly rose from her seat, her golden eyes fixed on Maya with an intensity that took the younger woman’s breath away. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, a thousand unspoken emotions hanging in the air.
“Maya?” Elena’s voice was soft, wavering ever so slightly.
Maya hesitated, her feet rooted to the spot. She had longed for this moment, dreamed of it, but now that it was here, uncertainty gripped her heart. Would her mother still see her the same way?
But then, with a shuddering breath, Maya stepped forward, her hesitation melting into a surge of longing and love. “Mom…”
That one word broke the dam. Elena closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, enveloping her daughter in a tight embrace. Maya clung to her mother, burying her face in Elena’s shoulde
