Aria’s POV
When I woke the next morning, Klaus’s voice was still in my mind. It was like a dream that clung to me even after the sunlight had found its way through the curtains — low and warm, carrying that quiet certainty that made me believe him even when I knew there were no guarantees.
I rolled toward his side of the bed, breathing in the faint trace of him that still lingered in the sheets. The scent was comforting and cruel all at once—it reminded me of home, but it also reminded me that he wasn’t here. My fingers brushed over the dip in the mattress where he usually slept. Cold.
The ache that followed was sharp enough that I almost let myself sink back under the blankets. But today wasn’t a day for staying in bed. There was too much to do, too many people expecting my input. I pu
