Isobel woke to the gentle caress of sunlight streaming through the lace curtains, casting a golden hue across her room. Dust motes danced in the beam like tiny spirits, rising and falling with the rhythm of her breath. She stirred, a soft smile gracing her lips as she lingered in the remnants of a dream, its sweetness still clinging to her skin like perfume, like a whispered promise she wasn’t ready to let go of.

With a contented sigh, she reached out and traced the delicate filigree patterns ...