Viel’s POV
I quietly watched Xheree as she slept peacefully in my arms. She clung to me tightly, as if she were still afraid I might disappear. Wrapped in a blanket, she looked fragile but it couldn’t hide the marks of pain she had endured. The bruises on her face remained, silent reminders of what she had suffered at the hands of Matilda’s men.
My chest tightened every time I saw them.
I couldn’t stop myself. Slowly, I lifted my hand and gently caressed her cheek, as if that simple touch could somehow erase the pain she had gone through. I leaned closer and softly pressed my lips against hers.
“I love you…” I whispered.
“I love you too, Viel.”
I gasped in surprise.
I pulled back slightly to look at her, but her eyes remained closed, her face calm as though she hadn’t heard anything
