Chapter 84

A new dawn.

Elara’s POV

Warmth. That was the first thing I felt when I woke up. My eyes fluttered open, not to the pre-dawn grey I was used to, but to the warm, golden glow of a full-blown afternoon. The light was streaming through the windows, painting stripes across the floor. For a second, I panicked, thinking I’d overslept and missed something important, but then the reality settled in. There was nothing to miss: no threat, no battle plan, no imminent danger. There was just... peace.

Kieran’s arm was draped over my waist, heavy and possessive even in sleep. His chest rose and fell against my back in a slow, steady rhythm. I turned my head slightly, inhaling the familiar scent of pine that clung to him, and smiled.

I then turned in his hold to face him. He was soundly asleep, his face completely relaxed for the first time since I’d met him. The usual tension around his jaw was gone, and the faint lines on his forehead smoothed out. He looked younger