Ash's POV
"Can I stay here tonight?" Lyra's voice carried a vulnerability that made Ash's chest tighten. She offered him a tentative smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Alaric sent word that we're departing at dawn. I'd rather not disturb Poppy when I leave."
"Of course," Ash stepped aside, creating space for her to enter. His pulse quickened as she brushed past him.
"Thank you," she murmured, her gratitude barely audible.
She moved through his room with familiar ease, dropping her belongings beside his untouched luggage. Her blanket landed on his bed with practiced casualty. When she turned back toward him, that mischievous smirk he knew so well played at the corners of her mouth, though it seemed forced.
Her toe nudged his empty bag. "Making excellent progress with the packing, I see."
"Right," Ash let out a hollow laugh, his hand automatically moving to scrub the back of his neck. "Got distracted. Too much thinking, not enough doing."
