FAYE
I stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel securely around my body and reached for another to blot the water from my hair.
My skin was warm, loose with that brief sense of calm that only came from hot water and isolation...those few minutes where the world couldn’t reach me, where I didn’t have to be Luna or leader or problem-solver. Just a woman alone with her thoughts.
I leaned closer to the mirror, tilting my head slightly as I worked the towel through my damp curls. My reflection stared back at me—eyes alert despite the early hour, shoulders already tight with responsibility. I looked rested, but not relaxed. Not really.
Three days…
The thought pressed at the back of my mind.
The bedroom door opened behind me.
I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Alexander.
Then
