Chapter 245

Jacob's Perspective The last logs in the bonfire collapsed into a bed of glowing embers, pulsing with deep red light, letting out the occasional *pop* that sent up a shower of brief, dying sparks. The air was a complex mix of woodsmoke, burnt sugar, old alcohol, and pure, undiluted happiness. Everyone was happy. Hell, so was I. I was sitting on the bottom step of the lodge porch, my back against the rough-hewn log wall. One leg stretched out, the other bent. Celena leaned against my chest, her weight slight but real, her body warmth seeping through our thin clothes. Her hair brushed my chin, smelling of woodsmoke, night dew, and that unique scent of hers—like damp moss and warm spice. I could feel it—the genuine relaxation in her. Not the limp exhaustion of being worn out, but a… looseness seeping from her very bones. Since we’d left that dress shop street, since the drive home, she’d been quiet. But this quiet was different. Before, her silence was a taut wire, a su