Sera's POV
After our bath, the bedroom felt cool and quiet. The late morning light filtered softly through the sheer curtains, casting long, peaceful shadows across the dark hardwood floor.
Gideon was sitting on the edge of the large wooden bed, pulling on a clean tunic, his broad back flexing with the movement. I stood near the foot of the bed, buttoning the front of a soft, loose dress, but my mind was miles away, racing in circles.
I wanted to ask. I needed to know.
Do you mind if I ask how everything is going with the territory? The question burned on the tip of my tongue, but my throat locked up around the words.
A sudden, phantom chill ran down my spine, bringing with it a wave of lingering trauma that made my heart hammer against my ribs. In the back of my mind, Lucian’s cold,
