[POV: Solenne]
She woke to warmth.
For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, there was no terror pressing down on her chest, no dreams clawing at the edge of her mind, and no sorrow threatening to swallow her. There was only the slow, rhythmic sound of breath against her collarbone, and the weight of an arm slung lazily across her waist.
Ruvan.
His long white lashes fanned softly against his cheek. His face, in sleep, was gentler than she'd ever seen it—no lines of pain etched into his brow, no tension in his jaw. He looked younger like this, less like a god-killer and more like a boy lost in time.
Solenne stayed like that for a long while, just listening and watching. She allowed herself to believe, even if only for a few moments, that maybe peace wasn't entirely unreachable.
His eyes opened when she finally shifted, just slightly, barely enough to ease the ache in her hip that had started to gnaw at her from being still for too long.
Gold met lavender-gray.
