River followed his gaze, her eyes wide with wonder. “It’s beautiful,” she agreed, her voice equally soft, almost reverent.
He watched her a moment longer before an idea lit his expression. “Would you like to shift?” he asked, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “We can ask the guards for a short stop. It’s a good area to run.”
But instead of excitement, River's face fell.
“I… I can’t,” she said quietly, almost like a confession.
Heiko blinked, surprised, but didn’t press. His instincts told him this wasn’t a casual refusal, but he suspected that her something was off since he could barely feel her wolf. He only gave a slight nod, his expression neutral, waiting for her to speak when she was ready.
River took a shaky breath and lowered her eyes. Her voice, when she spoke,
