Kaelira told herself it would get easier once she left the palace. That was what she had expected. Distance, routine, normal life returning in slow pieces but instead, everything felt slightly misplaced.
The estate was the same as always—stone walls warmed by afternoon light, servants moving through familiar halls, the quiet order of noble life continuing as if nothing had shifted but Kaelira had. She stood at the balcony of her room, fingers resting lightly on the stone railing as she looked out over the distant city beyond the estate gates. The wind moved gently through her hair and still, she felt like something was missing.
Kael. It irritated her how quickly her thoughts drifted back to him. Not even dramatically. Just… naturally like her mind had already decided where it wanted to r
