Somehow the long night passed, and morning arrived with a new day. The Winter Solstice Festival was finally over, and so were the carefree days of Annalise and the people around her.
Annalise woke up with a start, her heart still pounding from the attack of the previous night. It had taken her hours to fall asleep, and the only reason she was able to sleep at all was the presence of her husbands. Damien and Kenric didn't leave her side even for a mere second and their presence was the only comfort she could have relied on.
Valerius had promised to return quickly, and true to his word, he did arrive after an hour and joined her on the bed, pulling her immediately into his arms and enveloping her in his warmth and protection.
She was pulled out of her thoughts when Kenric brushed his fingers down her cheek, removing a loose curl from her face and tucking it behind her ear.
