Sia's POV

The fire crackled in the stillness of the night, throwing flickering shadows across the snow-covered ground. The bitter cold of the frozen island was chased away by the warmth of the flames, but it wasn’t just the fire that made the night feel alive. It was Rowan, sitting beside me, his arm resting on the back of the chair, our fingers brushing every so often as we sipped from the same cup of warm cider.

The air felt thick between us, not with awkwardness but with anticipation. It was as though we were teetering on the edge of something big—something inevitable.

I stared into the fire, gathering my...