The ward-light above the infirmary pulsed in steady rhythm, no longer thrashing like a wild heartbeat. The ground had stopped shuddering. The world felt calmer, but no one dared to believe the danger was gone.
Ravyn cradled her sons close, exhaustion pulling heavy at her shoulders. Dorian slept peacefully, his breath warm against her collarbone, while Alaric blinked wide-eyed in her arms, studying the world as though he already understood its weight. She shifted slightly, wincing as her sore body protested, and Grayson’s hand was immediately at her back, steady as bedrock. He never said much when words weren’t needed; his presence itself was a reassurance.
Cassian kept his distance, though not so far that she couldn’t feel him. He lingered at the edge of the room, shoulders taut, gaze da
