Quiet Reign
The morning light that filtered through the sheer linen drapes of Selah’s bedroom was soft, pale, and washed clean by the autumn storm. The quiet of the brownstone was absolute, punctuated only by the faint, distant chirp of city birds in the damp maples outside.
Selah woke slowly, sinking into the deep, luxurious warmth of her mattress. For the first time in years, the phantom didn't wake up with her guard fully raised. There was no immediate scanning of her security feeds, no instant mental catalog of the day's threats.