Evelyn POV
Home didn't feel like a place that night.
It felt like a reward.
The moment Liora pushed the door open, the smell of warm food hit us — onions, pepper, something frying gently in oil. Not rushed. Not anxious. Comfortable. The kind of smell that told you someone had been cooking without fear.
Her mother stepped out of the kitchen when she heard us.
"You're back," she said, wiping her hands on a towel. Her eyes moved from Liora to me, warm and curious. "How did it go?"
Liora looked at me, practically vibrating.
I smiled.
"I won."
For a second, her mother didn't react — as if she hadn't processed the words.
Then her hands flew to her chest.
"You did?" she asked softly.
"Yes," I said. "I'll be representing Halcyon. Home and abroad."
Her eyes filled instantly.
"Oh," she breathed. "Oh, my dear."
