Chapter 555 - Dawn in Tangled Limbs (1)

The dawn spilled gently, not with trumpets but with a slow unfurling of light. The mist hung low, curling across the campsite, weaving into the tents and the piled gear. The first warmth brushed Arielle's cheek as she stirred, her eyes fluttering open. Her spectacles had slid halfway down her nose during the night, and she pushed them up clumsily before realizing her arm was caught under Sigrid's heavy frame.