Kain Locke
I blinked awake, my eyes stinging a little as I let out a yawn and pushed myself up on the bed.
Sunlight streamed through the open window, telling me it was still afternoon.
I must've slept the whole morning after leaving Irene in the kitchen. I hadn't expected to sleep at all, not with how hard it feels forcing myself to. But at some point, exhaustion must've won.
I pushed myself up from the sofa, my body still heavy with sleep. My feet found the slippers waiting beside me, and I slid them on without thinking. Irene must've placed them there. What a thoughtful woman.
A small smile tugged at my lips, but it was lost in a yawn. I covered my mouth, stretching my shoulders as I turned.
By the table, Irene sat with a ball of yarn in her lap, her fingers working rhythmically as she knitted. She didn't look up at first, only when she must've felt my gaze.
"You're finally up," she said, her voice warm but teasing.
