Jenna had laughed too much that evening.
It was the kind of laughter that carried no grace, full-throated and loud with no elegance. The kind that made her forget for a moment that her world was half a ruin.
Olivia had dragged her into the rain, and God help her— Jenna loved every bit of it. From the rich smell of the earth that reeked of red soil and hope, to the angry face of Lady Rachel that looked even more shocked when they bolted. Jenna even forgot she had cried earlier.
By the time they returned, Jenna's cheeks ached from smiling. She didn't even feel the need to eat; the laughter and panic had filled her belly well enough. She went straight to her chamber, stripped herself of the wet dress and the noise of the day, and let the warm bathwater hold her.
When she slipped beneath the sheets, the moon was already pale, half-hidden behind restless clouds. Sleep should have come easily. But it didn't, not easily, at least.
