Chapter 45
Cassian
I think my mate might finally like me.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
Since we returned to the palace, Annalise has been different—softer, almost affectionate. It caught me off guard the first time she willingly chose to stay close to me. On one of our shared evenings, instead of the usual battle of cold glances or sarcastic remarks, she stayed quietly in my room, her head resting in my lap as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
I wanted to savor it, but there was always a shadow of doubt. Was this real? Or was she simply testing the waters, playing a game, biding her time until she turned her sharp tongue on me again?
Annalise has a way of pulling you in and then pushing you away, like a tide that refuses to settle. And yet, no matter how
