Giovanni Moretti
The heavy iron door clanged shut behind us, the sound echoing through the dimly lit corridor. I guided Alessia away from her father's cell, my hand resting lightly on the small of her back. She seemed to move in a daze, her steps unsteady.
As soon as we rounded the corner, out of her father's line of sight, Alessia crumpled. Her composure shattered like fine crystal, and she buried her face against my chest, her body wracked with silent sobs. I enveloped her in my arms, feeling her tears soak through my shirt.
"Shh, mia leonessa," I murmured, my lips brushing against her hair. The scent of her – a mix of jasmine and something uniquely Alessia – filled my senses. "You did well. So strong, so brave."
Her fingers clutched at my shirt, and I could feel her trembling. My ch
