KELSEY POV

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of our chamber, falling across the wooden floor.

For the first time in years, I woke up without worrying about what the day would bring. I didn't have to listen for angry footsteps outside my door or wonder if I'd done something that would earn me another slap. I could wake up, take a deep breath, and enjoy the quiet.

And the best part was that my mother was finally here with me.

She sat in an armchair near the fireplace, wrapped in a thick woolen blanket. Celeste had helped her wash and braid her hair the previous evening, and she looked...