Now that Hailey was gone, Selene found herself breathing easier.
The shift was subtle but unmistakable, like the easing of a pressure she had not realized she had been carrying in her chest. Hailey had been the most tangible threat Selene had faced since waking, not loud or openly hostile but sharp in a way that promised danger without warning. With her absence, the air itself felt less charged, less watchful.
Yet peace did not settle fully.
