Aveloria woke to a space beside her. The bed was still warm, but Lucien was gone. She reached out anyway, her hand brushing against the sheets as if she could still catch a trace of him. There was nothing.
She lay there for a few seconds, her thoughts blank. Then she sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It was morning already. Sunlight crept through the curtains, touching the edge of the room. She wasn't surprised he had left. Lucien had promised to leave by dawn. She only wishes he were around more like the other bonds.
She stood and stretched, feeling a dull ache in her shoulders, within her legs, and her butt cheeks. When she turned toward the vanity, her eyes caught a folded piece of paper resting beside her brush.
Aveloria frowned. She hadn't left anything there last night. She walked over, picked it up, and the handwriting was slanted, bold, and slightly uneven.
She sat down on the chair and unfolded the note.
