Finally, the night softened.
And no one felt like they were bracing for the next storm.
Sleep came easily.
Morning arrived gently over the Maldives.
Sunlight spilled across white sheets and warm wooden floors. The ocean outside shimmered in impossible shades of blue, almost as if it were trying to convince them to stay just a little longer.
But it was time.
Suitcases lay open again — this time not filled with anticipation, but with folded memories. Swimwear dried on balcony rails. Sand still clung stubbornly to the corners of bags, as if even it refused to let go. The twins dragged their feet dramatically while Mira struggled to zip up Ivy's overstuffed suitcase.
"Do we really have to go?" Ivy asked, her lower lip jutting out in protest.
Lucien crossed his arms. "My sand fortress was almost legendary."
Cassian crouched in front of them, serious but warm. "You know what makes a place special?"
They blinked at him.
