Lia’s pov

Lia awoke, the gentle light of dawn filtering in through the drapes. The closeness of Dante next to her felt familiar now, offering comfort in a way she never expected to experience. She shifted her gaze, observing him as he slumbered, his face calm and his breath even. There was something about observing him in this way—unprotected, serene—that caused her heart to constrict. For a long time, their nights were troubled, steeped in hushed anxieties and echoes of history. ...