Her eyes fluttered closed, not in sleep, but in a moment of surrender. She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. She only knew that she had to face it.
--
At the same time, Heiko moved through the castle with purposeful strides, his mind in a far more chaotic state than he let show. He had left to check with the patrol guards, yes, but the truth was, it wasn’t urgent. It was a reason. An excuse. He’d needed to step away. To breathe. To think.
To not scare her.
Last night, he’d made a mistake. His emotions, his beast, had driven him too far, too fast. Ordering her into his bed had been reckless, maybe even cruel, and the memory still gnawed at his gut. But tonight... tonight he wanted to give her space. A few moments to claim something that was hers, even if it was just a chance to cha
