The sound of waves lingered faintly through the half-open window, a quiet reminder of the sea just beyond the city walls. Noel stirred first, his eyes opening to the pale light of dawn slipping into the room.
The candles had burned out during the night, leaving only the soft glow of morning to chase away the shadows.
Elena was still asleep beside him, her head resting gently on his chest. Her platinum hair spilled across his skin in tangled strands, the amber pendant he had once given her half-hidden beneath the linen sheets. The steady rhythm of her breathing rose and fell, warm against him.
Noel stayed still, watching her.
'Never thought I'd end up here… not like this. First Elyra, now Elena. My life's gone so far from what it used to be. Back then, all I thought about was surviving one more day.'
His hand moved on its own, brushing a few strands of her hair away from her face. She murmured something in her sleep, curling slightly closer to him.
