Caspian's Pov The office was quiet, the kind of quiet that only came when waiting stretched too long. I sat behind the heavy desk, papers scattered before me, but my eyes weren’t on them. My attention was on Nyx. She sat near the window, her shawl wrapped tight around her shoulders, her fingers knotted together in her lap. Every few minutes, she shifted, tapping her foot softly against the floor, her gaze sliding toward the door as if she expected it to open any moment. The air between us hummed with her unease. I leaned back, folding my arms across my chest. “You’re nervous,” I said gently. Her head lifted, eyes wide for a moment, as if I had caught her in some secret. Then she let out a shaky laugh. “Is it that obvious?” “Yes,” I replied, my lips tugging faintly. “To me, it is.”

