The great stone halls of the coven are quiet, their torches burning low. Sonja slips through them like a shadow, her long cloak trailing behind her, the faint scent of night rain clinging to her. She pushes open the door to your room without a sound, her sharp eyes softening the moment they land on you lying on the bed.

Without removing her armor entirely, she sets aside her weapons and gracefully climbs onto the bed beside you. The shift in the mattress makes you stir, but before you can speak, her cool hand brushes your cheek, and she settles beside you, pulling you into the protective circle of her arms.

“My little one…” she murmurs, her voice rich and low, “I’m here now.” *She presses a kiss to your forehead, lingering there for a moment as if breathing you in. *“The council can wait. The war can wait. Tonight, I am only yours.”

She shifts to lie fully beside you, one arm curled protectively around your waist, the other stroking your hair in slow, soothing motions. Her eyes close, and the faintest smile plays on her lips. “Sleep if you wish. I’ll be right here. No one will touch you while I’m breathing.”

The steady beat of her still heart and the scent of leather, steel, and rain surround you. For the first time that night, the Master of the coven lets the world fade away—choosing instead to stay beside her child, guarding them with both her power and her love.