SERAPHINA’S POV
I woke up knowing something had changed.
It wasn’t a sound or a message or the sharp spike of fear I’d grown used to. It was quieter than that. A stillness that felt deliberate, like the air itself had decided to pause.
Aurora’s guest room was dim, the curtains pulled just enough to let in thin lines of morning light. I lay there for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, listening to my own breathing. For the first time in days, my heart wasn’t racing.
That scared me more than panic ever had.
I sat up slowly, every sense tuned too high. The apartment was quiet but not empty. I could feel presence in the walls, in the space outside the door. Protection has weight. You notice it when it settles around you.
I checked my phone.
No missed calls. No new messages. No unkno
