The soft creak of the door startled the two souls inside the quiet room. Both their heads turned toward the sound, and there, stepping into the gentle light, was a middle-aged man whose presence carried a warmth that immediately softened the air.
“Uncle,” Raellyn breathed, her voice laced with tender surprise. The recognition struck her like a sudden burst of sunlight after a long night. She glanced toward Arnav, who met her gaze with a faint, knowing smile. Emotion swelled in her chest she hadn’t expected this. She had assumed that Arnav, exhausted and preoccupied from the endless demands of yesterday, would keep the news to themselves for now, not burdening family or kin with the early morning excitement. She had not pressed him to share it, fully aware of his fatigue.
And yet, here he
