Nathan's POV

I found my way back to our chambers, the silence a heavy, suffocating blanket. The battle was over, but my personal war had just begun. The room was dimly lit by a single lampshade that cast long, dancing shadows on the walls. Adina lay on the bed, her face pale but peaceful. Her chest rose and fell in a calm rhythm, but her body was still.

The lack of movement, of any sign of life beyond her shallow breathing, was more unsettling than any cry of pain.

I sank onto the edge ...