Morning arrived quietly over the city yet peace never truly reached Elara's apartment because sleep had abandoned her long before dawn, and pale sunlight now spilled softly across the balcony through half-open curtains while cold wind stirred gently around untouched coffee resting beside trembling fingers wrapped tightly against the ceramic mug.
She looked beautiful still.
That was the cruel part.
Even exhausted beyond reason.
Even emotionally shattered after another night drowned in blood and ghosts.
Elara still carried the kind of beauty people envied without understanding the damage hidden beneath it.
Dark circles shadowed faintly beneath her silver-gray eyes now while strands of dark hair fell loosely around her pale face untouched by effort or care, and despite the oversized sweater hanging softly around her body there remained tension visible through every movement she made.
Like someone waiting for disaster.
Like someone who already knew it was coming.
