Chapter 23

• Adrian's POV
• I felt restless, as if I had no control over myself, as my thoughts kept spiraling back to Isla; the way she tried to blend in, the vulnerability in her eyes, the sparring match, her strength and speed, her knowledge of herbs and then our little encounter in the empty corridor. I never even spent more than a few seconds on her. But the entire day was about her. Only her.
• I couldn’t stop thinking about her. No matter how hard I tried, her image kept invading my mind. Her assertiveness, her defiance, and her resolve made my chest feel tightened. No. It wasn’t just out of anger. There was something else I refused to name.