DAYS LATER
A gentle knock on Mira's door. Mira didn’t turn. She stood before the tall bookshelf by the window, the morning light pooling around her in molten gold. Her silk robe brushed against the polished floor as she rose on tiptoe, one arm reaching upward, slender fingers stretching toward a book perched high on the top shelf.
The fabric shifted around her as she moved. Her fingertips brushed the edge of the book’s spine just as the door eased open with a low creak.
She didn’t need to look to know who it was… Kade stepped inside, saying nothing.
His eyes took in the sight of her… barefoot, hair tumbling loosely down her back, sunlight tracing gold along her skin. He moved behind her silently. When his hands finally found her waist, Mira gasped softly.
“Good morning, my queen,” he
