The silence almost suffocated me. Hours had already passed, but I was still wide awake. Even with the warmth of the fire and the soft breaths of my sons filling my senses, I still couldn't shake the lingering ache that coiled tightly around my chest.
I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the fabric of my skirt. My mind never seemed to tire, even though my entire being had already surrendered. 'This is temporary,' I told myself. 'Just for today...'
I glanced at my sleeping boys, their small faces still etched with lovely smiles despite everything they had been through. Daemond's fingers twitched slightly in his sleep. Ksaver murmured something I couldn't understand. Marcus curled deeper into the blankets, his tiny hand still reaching for me even in his dreams.
"Mama..."
My heart clenched. 'My sons trust me to keep them safe,' I thought. 'But what if I fail them again? What if I'm not enough to save them? What if... they need their fathers more than me?'
