Chapter 38

• Her gaze flickered to the space where the stranger had stood, but he was gone. There was only the cold, dark forest surrounding them, and the weight of Damien’s gaze pulling her back into the present.
• “I don’t know what to believe,” Elara confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. “Everything’s happening so fast. I don’t understand any of this.”
• Damien took a step closer to her, his eyes softening, the hardness in his features melting away as he reached out to gently cup her face. His touch was tender, grounding her in a way she hadn’t realized she needed. She leaned into him, feeling his warmth, his strength.