Quiet didn’t last.
It never did.
Lila realized that the moment she woke to the sensation of pressure low in her back—not sharp, not painful, just insistent. The kind of discomfort that didn’t ask permission. The kind that reminded her that her body was changing whether she was ready for each new step or not.
She shifted carefully, wincing as the pressure followed.
Caleb stirred immediately.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, voice thick with sleep but already alert.
“Nothing,” she said automatically.
He lifted himself onto one elbow, blue eyes narrowing. “That’s a lie.”
She exhaled. “It’s not pain. Just… weight. Like my spine is negotiating with gravity.”
His expression softened. “You want tea?”
She smiled faintly. “You’re learning.”
He slid out of bed and returned moments later with a m
