A soft smile tugged at my lips as the warmth of the morning sun kissed my face. I shifted slightly, letting the golden ray rest against my cheek before lazily lifting my right hand to shield my eyes. My lashes fluttered at the brightness, and with a small sigh, I pushed myself upright.
My body stretched instinctively, arms arching above my head, and my shoulders rolling back, my spine elongating until a gentle crack loosened the tension along my lower back. I curled my toes into the soft bedsheets, feeling the satisfying pull in every muscle. It had been… a long time since I slept this deeply. No late-night panic, no restlessness, and neither did Nyxella's cry wake me up.
It was just peace. A rare kind of peace I had lost for a while.
I turned to my side, expecting to see a head full of messy curls and a tiny hand flung across my stomach.
But the space beside me was empty. Making my smile vanish
