The morning came heavy with mist.

Selene woke before dawn, the soft gray light spilling through the tall windows of their chamber. The world outside was silent except for the faint call of crows in the distance. Darius was already out of bed, standing shirtless near the window, his back to her. The tension in his shoulders was sharp, the kind that told her something wasn’t right.

She pushed herself up, the sheets rustling softly. “You’ve been standing there for a while,” she said, her ...