Damien woke to warmth on both sides.
His first thought was that he'd fallen asleep with Seria, which was expected. His second thought was that there was definitely another body pressed against his left side, and that was unexpected.
He opened his eyes to find Elara curled against him, her golden hair spilled across his shoulder, breathing soft and even in sleep. On his right, Seria was still deeply unconscious, her face peaceful in a way he rarely saw when she was awake.
Both of them. Both his anchors, both in his arms.
The anchor bonds hummed with contentment, stronger than he'd ever felt them. The corruption sat at a stable 8.1% – lower than it had been in weeks, pushed back by the dual connection.
Elara stirred first, her eyes opening to meet his. She smiled sleepily.
"Good morning," she whispered, clearly trying not to wake Seria.
"When did you get back?" he whispered back.
