Chapter 59 Resting with Jasper

(Iris)

The night stretched on, each tick of the clock a slow drip of agony. I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the hours pressing down on me. The waiting was both excruciating, boring and nerve-wracking.

The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon filtering through the thin curtains. The shadows danced on the walls, creating shapes that seemed to taunt me with their ever-shifting forms.

Nervous energy buzzed through me like a swarm of angry bees, making it impossible to find any semblance of peace. I tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, but the anxiety gnawing at my insides wouldn’t let me rest. Every creak of the floodboards, every rustle of the leaves outside, set my heart racing.

After what felt like an eternity but was probably only thirty minutes, I felt Jasper stir beside me. He moved closer, his arm snaking around my waist from behind. His touch was warm and familiar, a small comfort in the midst