The moon hadn't faded when Adam woke up, its silver stream filtering through the curtains. Its light cascaded down his long hair as his eyelids fluttered open. For a moment, he hoped that Mathilde's foolishness and Isolde's curse were just figments of his imagination, a nightmare he would laugh off when sharing it with Quintella around a warm breakfast.
Yet, hope was fleeting. It always was...
The weight on his chest hadn't vanished. If anything, it felt more pronounced with Quintella nestled against it. The girl hugged him above his hips, smiling in her sleep. At least, none of it would affect her.
With a heavy sigh, he brushed her blonde hair and forced out a smile. "Time to wake up, Quintella."
She stirred at his gentle touch, then raised her sleepy face. Rubbing her eyes with one hand, she yawned. "Morning, big brother."
Her smile didn't fade. Instead, it broadened as her gaze drifted to his chest and jiggled. "I still hate it, but I can't deny it."
