Aria’s POV
The first thing I noticed wasn't the light, but the air.
At the Vaelor estate, the air always tasted of cold stone, expensive floor wax, and the heavy scent of Alphas. But the air here was sweet. It carried the scent of crushed pine needles, damp earth, and the wild, peppery bloom of mountain lilies. It was the smell of home.
I sat up, the grass beneath my palms soft and cool. I wasn't wearing the stiff, silk gown from the dinner, I was in my old linen tunic, the fabric worn thin and soft from a hundred washings in the creek.
I felt light. I felt hollow in the way a bird must feel before it takes flight.
"Aria! You’ve been napping for an hour. The sun will be over the ridge before we even start the harvest."
The voice was a melody I thought had been silenced fore
