_Dorian's POV_
The drive to the safe house was long and silent.
Lyla remained unconscious in my lap, her breathing steady but her body cold. I kept my arms wrapped around her, rubbing warmth into her skin. Every now and then, I pressed my fingers against her pulse. I was doing this to reassure myself that it was still there, still strong.
But that didn’t ease the tightness in my chest.
“She’s still out,” Tobias muttered from the passenger seat, glancing back at us. “That potion hit her hard.”
“She’ll wake up soon,” Marcus said, his hands tight on the wheel. His tone was even, but I could tell he was tense.
I exhaled sharply. “She better.”
We were deep in the forest now, the winding roads barely visible in the darkness. Trees stretched high on both sides, their thick trunks hiding us
