Nova's pov
Nothing had felt like home since her mother’s burial.
Rachel Rosewood had been the heart of their house—the steady warmth in a life marked by unknowns. Losing her hadn’t just carved a hole in Nova’s chest—it had split something deeper. Something primal.
Still, she walked forward. Because that’s what warriors did.
She didn’t cry anymore. Not since the dream. Not since seeing the Moon Goddess take Rachel’s hand with a softness Nova had never imagined possible. There was comfort in knowing her mother had been welcomed home—but that didn’t make the world feel any less empty.
What surprised Nova the most was how much she missed him.
Max.
It was stupid. Irrational. They weren’t friends, let alone anything more. He was arrogant. Sharp. Infuriating.
But she hadn’t seen him sinc
