POV: Aphrodite
I wake before dawn with Lyra's hand gently shaking my shoulder.
"Come with me," Lyra whispers, quiet enough not to wake the others. "I found a stream last night while gathering firewood."
I sit up carefully, noting that Cassian is still on watch nearby. The twins are asleep on opposite sides of the fire, and Bastien is sprawled in his bedroll snoring softly. Everyone exhausted from yesterday's emotional upheaval.
"Where?" I whisper back.
"Not far," Lyra promises. "Just far enough for privacy. We can bathe without an audience for once."
The idea is too tempting to refuse. Days of travel have left me feeling grimy and uncomfortable. The thought of washing without four sets of male eyes watching makes the decision easy.
I nod and grab a change of clothes from my pack. Lyra does the same, moving quietly so we don't disturb anyone. We slip into the forest as the first hints of dawn start lightening the eastern sky.
