The forest seemed endless, the tall trees and their intertwined branches forming a canopy that barely let any light through. The cool air brushed my face, but it couldn’t distract me from the steady rhythm of Kael’s footsteps or the warmth radiating from his body. I felt restless—not just because of his closeness but because, with every passing minute, the invisible barrier between us seemed to crumble.
“Are you comfortable?” His voice broke the silence, low, almost soft, as if he truly cared about the answer.
“That’s relative,” I muttered, not wanting to seem too vulnerable. “I’m not used to… this.”
He let out a small exhalation that might have been a suppressed chuckle. “No one is. But you don’t have to worry, Elise. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
His tone was so calm that I al
