Peace, I discovered, was much louder than war.
War was simple. It was a single note of adrenaline. Peace was a symphony of a thousand tiny demands.
It had been three days since the Solstice. Three days since the "miracle" in the woods. Three days of the sun refusing to set properly, lingering in a twilight haze that kept the birds singing at midnight.
I stood in the kitchen, staring at the window.
The glass was almost blocked.
Ivy. Thick, emerald-green ivy with leaves the size of dinner plates was curling around the window frame. It had grown three feet overnight. I could practically hear it creaking as it stretched, seeking purchase in the stone mortar of the house.
"It’s aggressive, isn't it?"
I turned. Lucian was leaning against the doorway. But he looked… different.
Usually, Lu
