Violet
I didn’t see it, but I felt the attention on me, sharp and sudden, like a weight settling over my skin.
“Violet,” Elijah said quietly, his voice still low but now fully awake, the softness edged with concern that he tried, and failed, to restrain.
I did not answer. I couldn’t.
I could barely breathe.
The plane gave a small, uneven tremor as it continued its ascent. My body jerked in response, a reflexive flinch, and before I could process the movement, momentum pulled me sideways and forward.
The seat belt tugged against my hips, but my balance slipped.
My hands shot out for support, and I felt certain I was going to smack my face against the cold floor of the airplane.
But Elijah had gotten up from his seat and was in front of me in an instant. My hands landed against him,
