Aria waited until Zyren was completely gone before she finally moved to take her bath, relieved to feel his presence lift from the room like a heavy shadow peeling away. His absence was a strange kind of freedom—thin and fleeting, but enough for her to breathe a little deeper.
The warmth of the water was soothing as she slid into the tub, letting it embrace her in its gentle heat. She leaned back, unmoving, feeling the tension slowly drain from her body. Yet even in this moment of peace, there was a disquiet under her skin.
She had changed.
It was there—in the way the tub creaked when her palm pressed a little too firmly against the rim. Strength thrummed faintly through her limbs, sharper than before, and though it wasn't overwhelming, it was undeniable.
But thinking about why she had this strength pulled her mind back to the night before.
