The aroma within Azure's bath chamber was thick and intoxicating, heavy with crushed rose petals and suffocating oils that did nothing to soothe the phantom chill clinging to her skin. She sat immersed in the warm water, her head resting back against the porcelain rim, eyes closed as the steam curled around her face. But her mind was miles, and years, away.
Like a cruel current, her memory dragged her back to an afternoon painted in sunlight.
In her memory, Azure stood at the exit door of a quaint, sunlit estate, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She was dressed in a simple, bright gown patterned with delicate wildflowers—a dress that spoke of quiet joy, domestic peace, and an unburdened spirit. When the heavy wooden door swung open, her face broke into a radiant, genuine smile.
Standing on the threshold was a tall, well-built man with long, golden-blond hair falling over his shoulders and striking, crystal-blue eyes that softened the second they landed on her.
