The estate’s west wing was quieter than the rest of the house. Hallways dimly lit by sconces, curtains drawn against the night air, the hush only broken by the occasional footsteps of guards patrolling outside. Lila walked slowly through it, her hand brushing the smooth wood of the walls as she approached Luke’s room.
She paused before the door, inhaling a steadying breath. The visits had become a habit, her way of grounding herself after long days filled with training Amara, overseeing preparations, and keeping her own anger in check. But tonight felt heavier. Perhaps because Luke’s recovery was finally showing progress, or perhaps because she could no longer ignore the threads of emotion tightening in her chest every time she saw him lying there.
With a gentle knock, she pushed open th
