The tenth morning carried a tension Lila couldn’t name.
Nothing was wrong.
Alden slept soundly.
Her body, though still tender, felt stronger than it had the day before.
And yet—something restless stirred beneath her ribs, a quiet unease that had nothing to do with pain or fear.
She noticed it first when Caleb left her side earlier than usual.
“Father asked to see me,” he said, brushing a kiss across her temple. “I’ll be back soon.”
She nodded easily. “Take your time.”
He hesitated, as if sensing something unsaid, then smiled and left.
The moment the door closed, the unease deepened.
Seren noticed immediately.
“You feel it too,” Seren said from the window.
Lila exhaled slowly. “I thought it was just me.”
Seren’s jaw tightened. “It’s not.”
Caleb found his father waiting in the
