Aria's POV

The morning light hit my eyelids long before I was ready to open them. My back ached slightly, my head felt heavy, and for a split second, I considered rolling over and stealing another hour of sleep. But the house felt... off. Too quiet. Too still. Too untouched.

A strange feeling crawled over me, and I sat up slowly, brushing my hair out of my face. I expected to hear the usual sounds-Lina bustling around, arranging things, cleaning something, doing the chores I gave her last ...