Chapter 190
Dane
We watched from the shadows, concealed behind the arched corridor just outside the dining hall on the east wing.
And there she was.
Annalise.
Sitting by the tall window, sunlight pooling around her like a golden veil, her hair loose and tumbling down her shoulders, framing that delicate face that haunted my thoughts.
She was eating.
Helen—our palace healer and keeper—sat across from her with a gentle smile, feeding her bit by bit, coaxing her into another bite with soft words and patient eyes. And Annalise… she was smiling.
Smiling.
Something tightened in my chest. My fists curled at my sides as I watched her laugh—soft and real—as if she'd never been afraid. As if she'd never looked at us with suspicion or fear, like we were the monsters outside her door instead
