ARYA

The hush of the evening wrapped us like a shroud, the bedside lamp illuminating the room and casting gentle shadows on the walls. I sat perched at the edge of our bed, my limbs heavy. Daxton sat behind me with a brush in his hand.

His touch was careful as he brushed my hair and undid the knots, but all I felt was emptiness. He'd bathed me, dressed me in his shirt, and yet... I felt like a ghost in my own body.

When the brush caught on a knot, he paused, waiting ...