The first light of dawn crept into the room, painting the walls in shades of gold. Tara stirred awake, blinking softly as her senses adjusted. It took her a moment to realize where she was — cocooned in Mihir’s arms, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm beneath her cheek.

For a second, she just stayed still, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. It was strange, how something so simple could feel like the safest place in the world. For the first time in years, she hadn’t woken up from nightmares. For the first time, her sleep hadn’t been filled with shadows.