Caleb
Days passed, but every time I woke, she was there.
Sometimes I’d find her seated beside me, reading through a stack of royal documents with a look of quiet concentration.
Other times, she’d simply be there watching me, her chin resting on her hand, her expression soft in a way I never thought possible for a queen like Elise.
And whenever I stirred, she’d straighten and ask, “Are you in pain?” or “Do you need anything?”
It didn’t matter that she tried to sound composed. I could hear the worry in her voice.
I could see it in the way her fingers brushed against my wrist each time she checked my pulse like she needed proof that I was still alive.
And every time, my heart warmed a little more.
I never thought I’d see this day. Queen Elise, the cold, distant ruler of Blackthorn,
