Luna woke up slowly.
No shouting.
No Book flipping its own pages.
No ancient creature whispering through the walls.
Just sunlight.
Warm, soft sunlight spilled through the curtains and stretched across the bed.
For a few seconds, Luna just lay there.
Then she noticed the arm around her waist.
Darius was behind her, his chest pressed to her back. His breathing was deep and steady, his face tucked near her neck.
Her husband.
The word still felt new.
Weird.
Beautiful.
Luna smiled into the pillow.
“You’re awake,” Darius said.
His voice was rough with sleep.
“You’re not.”
“I was.”
“When?”
“Before you started thinking too loudly.”
She turned carefully in his arms.
His dark hair was a mess, his eyes still half closed.
Luna touched his cheek.
“You look different.”
Darius fro
