Serenya's POV
The scent of eggs and toasted bread pulls me from sleep before I even open my eyes. For a moment, I lie still, listening to the faint hum of traffic outside the window, the chirp of birds somewhere near the balcony. The light that filters through the curtains is soft and gold—too gentle to belong to a dream.
When I finally sit up, the room feels warmer than last night. The blanket slips from my shoulder, and I notice the ring on the nightstand, glinting faintly beside the clock. My chest tightens for half a second—until relief seeps in. He didn’t take it. Darian had kept his word. I reach for it and slip it quietly into my pocket, the metal cool against my skin.
The smell of breakfast grows stronger as I pad barefoot to the door. The floor is cold beneath my feet, the air
