Pearl POV
I walked away without looking back.
Every step felt like I was walking with stones tied to my feet.
My chest was tight, too tight. Not because of the bindings… but because of him. Because of Demyan.
The way he looked at me…
It broke something in me to push him away. But I had to. I needed to. He didn’t understand, not yet. Maybe he never would.
He thought he was in love. Maybe he was. But love... love was a dangerous thing for someone like me.
I couldn’t afford to feel it. Not now. Not when I was so close.
I reached the edge of the dorms and paused under the shadow of a tree, letting the cool wind hit my face. I didn’t cry. I wouldn’t cry. But a part of me still ached for him, for the warmth of his arms, the safety of his voice.
But I couldn’t forget why I was here.
I c
