Seraphine's POV
My next awakening no longer came from sheer exhaustion. My head was clear, yet every inch of my body hummed with a pleasant, satisfied fatigue. When I opened my eyes, the room was already filled with light: Darius had returned and drawn back the curtains. The late-morning sunlight danced in the air like a cloud of golden dust.
I was lying in bed, wrapped in a clean, soft sheet. The damp, crumpled bedding from last night had already been taken away. The room looked pristine again, as if the storm of the night had never happened—but the mark on my shoulder throbbed with a steady pulse. That pulse was the most tangible proof of what had occurred.
Darius stood by the window, wearing simple black trousers and a loose grey shirt. His hair was still slightly damp from a quick s
