The sensation was strange, almost unsettling, but he didn’t pull away. Easther’s body, though small and trembling, radiated heat that seeped into him, easing the cold that had gnawed at his bones. He remembered his own fevers, the dangerous swings of temperature that had once required doctors to hover near, anxious that he might overheat or freeze. Now, the warmth of the girl in his embrace brought a measure of balance to his body, steadying him in a way the fire alone never could.
Her faint silver eyes flickered against his chest as her breathing slowed slightly. Zaki Lee’s lips twitched in the smallest, almost imperceptible way—a sign of acknowledgment, of relief, of quiet satisfaction that he could provide what she needed without forcing her compliance. He held her tightly but carefull
