Chapter 43 Fourty-two

• Draerven's eyes widened, startled by her words and the unfamiliar warmth of her touch.
• For a man who had grown up surrounded by the harsh expectations of royalty, who had never known real affection, her gesture hit him harder than any battle he'd ever fought. Praise was something foreign to him. His parents had raised him with cold detachment, pushing him to be strong, but never showing the love or warmth a child craved.
• And now, here she was, patting him like he was someone worthy of care.