#Chapter 124: The Night Before Solstice

Kayla The days that followed the email leak were… sweet. Far sweeter than I ever could have anticipated, if I was being honest. It was strange, really, how quickly life could shift from chaos to calm in a manner of days. The guild had announced their search for a new member to fill Gray’s old spot, and Nicholas had thrown himself into his campaign, preparing his application with newfound fervor. But it wasn’t just the political victories that made these days feel so good. It was the quiet moments, the ones that no one else saw. The way that Nicholas would smile at me from across the room, his amber eyes softening as they met mine. The way he would reach for my hand under the table, his fingers brushing against mine. The way he would slip into my bed at night once everyone else had fallen asleep. And the way that I let him. We didn’t talk about it—not with each other, and certainly not with anyone else. There were no labels, no grand declarations, no