ARIA
The morning felt different.
Not in any dramatic way. Just lighter. The kind of light that comes after something very heavy has finally been set down, when your arms are still sore from carrying it but at least your hands are empty now.
Kael had left early. Something about the press conference fallout, lawyers, statements that needed to be carefully worded so that the whole story of what Andrew had done could come out without destroying what remained of the Romans' empire in the process.
He'd kissed my forehead before he left and told me to rest, which I had fully intended to do until I opened my eyes and found Olivia and Ash already deep in what appeared to be a very serious card game on the couch across the room.
Sylas hadn't shown up yet. It was just the three of us, and honestly, that was its own kind of good.
