Violet woke before the sun completed its rise. The faint glow filtered through the curtains in a soft gradient, touching the room with a quiet light that felt gentle rather than demanding. Her mind carried the calm from the night before, and her body responded with the same steady ease she had practiced throughout the last several days.

The warmth beside her revealed that Bryan was still in bed. His breathing remained slow, not deep in sleep but resting in a state between awareness and relaxation. She shifted slightly, her movement subtle enough that it didn’t disturb the balance of the moment. Something about the morning held a new coherence—like...