Chapter39:Chapter 39

Chapter 39; Morning Revelations CELESTE I woke to the unfamiliar sensation of an empty bed. For a moment, confusion clouded my thoughts as I reached across the mattress, expecting to find warm bodies curled up beside me. The events of yesterday came rushing back – the attack, the terror, the way we'd all slept together for comfort and safety. But now the bed was cold, the sheets rumpled from where Xenois and the boys had been sleeping. I could hear sounds drifting up from downstairs – muffled conversation, the clatter of dishes, and something that made my heart lift despite everything: the sound of my children's laughter. I lay there for a moment, just listening. It was such a normal sound, so beautifully ordinary after the chaos of yesterday. The boys were giggling about something, their voices bright and carefree in a way that reminded me they were resilient in the way only children could be. I slipped out of bed and padded to the bathroom, catching sight of myself in the mirror