bCHAPTER /bb92 /b

    The grass felt soft and sun–warmed beneath Saphira’s bare feet as she and Niks crossed the clearing, the pulse of earlier sparring still humning through her limbs. The others were gathered near the edge–Zafira seated on a rock, head tipped back as she tried to catch her breath, while Finn handed her a bwater /bbottle with a smug grin. Anastasia leaned against a tree, arms folded and eyes bright with lingering adrenaline, her braid dishevelled, and a small smudge bof /bdirt streaked across her cheek.

    led stood nearby, gear tucked under one arm, looking unusually content for someone who’d likely blocked more attacks than he’d delivered.

    “How’d it go?” Saphira called out, stepping into their circle with Niks at her side.

    Zafira exhaled dramatically, swiping her forearm across her brow. “Harder in human form. Everything hurts and nothing moves the way it’s supposed to.” Her shoulders slumped yfully. “Someone remind me why we’re not born with scales.”

    Jed snorted, his grin already forming. “Because life would be far too easy. No drama, no bruises.”

    Niks chuckled beside Saphira, arms folding lightly. “And you’d have nothing toin about, Zafira.”

    Zafira mock–red between them. “Some of us enjoy a goodin, thank you very much.”

    Saphira smiled, letting herself sink into thefort of being together. “So,” she said casually, sweeping her gaze across the little longer on Anastasia-“dinner, anyone? After showers and a change, of course.”

    -and letting it linger a

    Anastasia’s eyes lifted to meet hers, and a quiet warmth passed between them. “Sounds good,” she said, voice calm but somehow touched with meaning.

    “Food,” Finn echoed dramatically, “is the real reward for suffering.”

    They all nodded or mumbled their agreement, beginning to disperse with stretched limbs and rolled shouldersb, /bsplitting off in pairs toward the pack house.

    Saphira and Niks walked in easy rhythm to their floorb, /bconversation quiet butfortable. bAs /bthey reached the hallway, Niks nced sideways. “You still need to pack,” he said, tone teasing but factual.

    Saphira made a face, half dramatic, half reluctant. “Fine. I’ll do it now. Then bwe /bcan shower in our own rooms band /bmeet back after.”

    Niks stopped, brows lifting slightly in mock disbelief. “What do you mean our own roomsb?/bb” /b

    She blinked, smile tugging at one corner. “You know, separate showers, some personal space…”

    He shook his head, eyes narrowing yfully. “No chance. I’m helping you grab your things. And we’re showering together. In my room.”

    Saphiraughed, warmth rising in her chest as she leaned into him slightly. “Bossyb./b”

    “Efficient,” he corrected with a grin.

    And as they turned toward her door, steps in sync and hearts still buzzing from the bond they’d solidified, Saphira felt it fully–this bwas /bno longer temporaryb. /b

    The door clicked quietly behind them bas /bSaphira stepped into her room, the space feeling smaller now–not confining, but intimate bin /bbits /bbsimplicity/bb. /bNiks followed, his eyes sweeping bover /bthe shelves, the neatly folded stack bof /bclothes, theck bof /btrinkets or clutter. The walls were mostly bareb; /bba /bbsingle /bbsketch /btucked into the corner near her desk and a small pouch of dried herbs resting in the window frame.

    bHe /bbpicked /bup one of her folded tops and brushed bthe /bfabric bbetween /bhis fingers. b“/bbI /bbwish /bbyou /bbhad /bbmore /bbstuff/b,b” /bbhe /bbsaid /bbsoftly/bb. /bb“/bbSomething/bb… /bbpersonal/bb. /bbThing /bbthat /bbfelt /blike youb./bb” /b

    bSaphira /bpaused bmid/b–bstep/bb, /bfingers bfrozen /bbon /bbthe /bbzip /bbof /bher bbag/bb. /bbThen /bbshe /bbnced /bbat /bbhim /bover her shoulderb. /bb“/bbI /bbdidn’t /bbneed /bbthem /bbefore she rphed. Sin benough /bto bget /bbby/bb. /b

    bNiks /bbturned /bbthe /bbshirt /bbover /bbin /bbhis /bhandsb, /bbthen /bbset /bbit /bbgently /bbin /bbthe /bbpack/b. bHis /bjaw bflexed/b, bsomething /bbquiet /bbstirring /bbbehind /b

    bSaphira /bbstraightened /bbslowly /bbwalking /bbover /bband /bbcing /bba /bbhand lightly /bbagainst /bhis forearm, s My bold /bbpack /bn

    CHAPTER b92 /b

    said. “Anything sentimental… meant weakness.”

    Niks nodded, the motion slow. His eyes met hers, a flicker of sadness surfacing before he pushed it down. “That’s not how things are anymoreb,/bb” /bbhe /bbsaid/b. “Not with us.b” /b

    Her smile warmed, fingers giving a gentle squeeze. “We’ve got time now,” she said. “To collect all the memorable things. The ones that matter.b” /b

    He gave a soft huff of augh. “You realise I’m going to fill our space with all kinds of things you’ll roll your eyes at.”

    “I’m counting on it,” she said, handing him a journal with a faint crease down the spine.

    They packed together inpanionable silence, their movements easyb, /bfilled with the kind of rhythm built over shared trustb. /bSaphira rolled her boots in a cloth wrap. Niks sorted her books into a neat pile, nudging a dog–eared one aside with raised brows.

    “I’m proud of Zafira,” he said suddenly, breaking the quiet. “She’s doing something–even if she’s not ready to shift. That kind of courage matters.”

    Saphira tucked a scarf into her satchel and looked up. “Yeah,” she agreed. “It’s hard… but I think training like this might help both her and Anastasiab. /bNot just physically. Emotionally. Learn to trust their dragons again.”

    Niks nodded, his hands still for a moment. “Healing takes its own shape.”

    “And sometimesb,/b” she said, locking eyes with him, “that shape maye in an unexpected form.”

    Saphira zipped thest bag closed with a quiet finality, her fingers lingering at the edge of the worn canvas as if it were somehow harder to let go than she expected. She scanned the room once more–the shelves emptied, the soft pouch of herbs tucked safely away, the quiet echo of memories that never quite had the space to grow here.

    “That’s everything,” she said softly, turning toward Niks. Her shoulders rxed with the words. “I’m ready.”

    Niks stepped forward and nced down at the small pile of bags at her feet. Without hesitationb, /bhe reached for the heaviest one first, slinging it over his shoulder, then grabbed two more with practiced ease. “Of course you packed like a tactical unit,” he said, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “Compact and no- nonsenseb./b”

    “Can’t help it,” Saphira replied, brushing her hands together. b“/bI trained myself to fit my life in three bags or lessb./bb” /b

    His eyes flicked to hers–soft, perceptive. But he didn’t push. Instead, he nodded and nudged her yfully toward the doorway.

    “Let’s go to iour /iroom, then.”

    They walked the hallway together, steps falling into rhythm–hers light, his steady. Saphira’s hand grazed the strap of the remaining bag she carried, heart unexpectedly light despite the weight across her back.

    Niks kept closeb, /basionally shifting a bag higher on his shoulder or ncing sideways bas /bif checking whether she still felt okay. And each time, she did.

    This time, she wasn’t walking into someone else’s space. She was walking into theirs. And something about that made everything bshe /bcarried feel binfinitely /blighter.

    bChapter /bbComments /b