|| Lilac’s POV ||

I woke to the cold emptiness of the bed, the sheets tangled around my legs and the space beside me devoid of Alaric’s warmth. My hand reached out instinctively, brushing against the cool fabric where he had lain. The absence of his body, his heat, his steady breathing, was jarring, and I felt a pang of longing that settled deep in my chest. I missed him already, and he hadn’t even been gone long.

Sitting up, I ran a hand through my disheveled hair, the ...