Chapter 13
Rayna
By the time my shift ended, I was too tired to be on my feet and too wired to sit still.
Tess offered to split nachos at the bar down the street. I lied and said I had laundry and a headache. She made a face but didn’t push. I walked home instead, hands stuffed in my pockets, replaying calls that were already resolved because that was easier than thinking about dragon councils and bondmarks.
The apartment was exactly how I’d left it—plant drooping in the window, dishes in the sink, half a book on the coffee table. It felt smaller than usual. Or maybe I felt bigger. Not in a good way. Like I didn’t quite fit in my own skin.
I dropped my bag, toed off my boots, and stood in the middle of the living room listening to the pipes clank in the wall. Normal sounds. Regular li
