Dael POV
The room is quiet except for her soft breaths, each one deliberate, measured. I can feel her gaze even before I look down.
She’s awake. She’s alert. And yet… she doesn’t move. Not yet. The way she lies there, fragile, small, makes my chest tighten in ways I don’t understand.
I shouldn’t care. I should leave her here, alone, the way I’ve always kept my distance. She’s silver. She’s cursed.
Everything about her is dangerous, and yet… my instincts keep pulling me closer. Watching her, the tension tightens around my ribs. It’s infuriating. Confusing.
I step closer, boots silent on the wooden floor. The way the lamplight catches the curve of her cheek, the shadow under her lashes, it’s mesmerizing, like she’s untouchable and entirely mine all at once.
“Don’t move,” I murmur, l
