Chapter 59

The last shades of twilight faded into the deep navy of the night as Althea leaned against Kaden’s chest, her head resting in the crook of his neck. The grass beneath them was soft, and the cool night air carried the faint scent of wildflowers from the clearing. The lake shimmered under the moonlight, a perfect mirror to the stars above. Kaden’s arms were wrapped around her, his fingers trailing slow, lazy patterns along her forearm. Every touch sent a ripple of warmth through her, grounding her in a way she hadn’t known she needed. The world felt quiet, still, as if it existed only for them in this moment. “You’ve gone quiet,” Kaden murmured, his deep voice breaking the silence. Althea smiled against his chest, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the faint scars along his forearm. “I’m just… thinking.” “About?” She tilted her head up to meet his gaze, her breath catching at the way the moonlight illuminated his silver eyes. “About how different everything feels now,” she admitted softl