Aiden woke to the soft gray of early morning filtering through the high windows of the upper chamber. The residual monitors on the side table showed the same flat lines they had held through the night.
No spikes. No alerts. Elizabeth lay beside him, still asleep, her breathing even. He stayed still for a time, watching the light move across the stone floor, before she stirred and opened her eyes.
They rose without hurry. There was no need to check status boards or review overnight reports. The temple had held its quiet through the dark hours, and the quiet remained.
They washed at the basin in turn. The water was cool and clean. Aiden dried his face and hands while Elizabeth braided her hair simply, without ornament. Neither spoke much. The silence felt ordinary rather than strained.
In the small antechamber they shared a pot of tea. The leaves were plain, the kind kept for daily use rather than ceremony. Aiden poured for both of them.
