The camp had finally settled for the night, a heavy silence falling over the tents as soldiers tried to grasp whatever rest they could before the chaos of the days to come. Chiva, however, found no peace. Her mind was a restless storm, her body still thrumming with unresolved tension. She couldn't stop thinking about Aian: his touch, his kiss, the way he looked at her like she was both a mystery and an answer he had been seeking.
Without fully understanding why she was doing it, she found herself slipping out of her tent, her steps quiet and measured as she made her way through the maze of sleeping soldiers. She knew where his tent was. She had memorized it without meaning to, her thoughts too often drawn to him even when she tried to ignore them.
When she reached the entrance, she pause
