Chapter 108. Almost There

ARDEN

Lunch was surprisingly warm. We sat around the long wooden dining table, the air filled with the comforting clatter of utensils and the occasional burst of laughter. The enticing scent of roasted herbs and garlic butter wafted from the dishes Mirage and Nathan had prepared.

It felt like family.

Honey sat beside me, eating mashed potatoes with both hands and occasionally talking to her plate. Mirage kept offering everyone more bread rolls, while Nathan teased Cade for something he muttered under his breath. Even Bethany, who always seemed to carry a quiet tension wherever she went, wore a faint smile, her body relaxed as she cradled a cup of warm tea.

It was light.

In that moment, I realized how different this gathering was from every meal I’d ever had with my own family. Back home, silence loomed heavier than any meal. My parents scrutinized what I ate, how I held my fork, and whether I truly deserved to be at the table at all.

Here, Cade pl