Only briefly.
“Good morning.”
That was it.
No smile.
No warmth.
No trace of the intensity that had consumed them only hours ago.
Something cold settled inside her chest.
A small, sharp pang.
Her fingers slowly tightened in the fabric of the blanket as she watched him move around the room, gathering his things with quiet efficiency.
The distance between them suddenly felt enormous.
And in that moment Iva realized something with growing dread.
Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong.
--
For several long seconds Caleb simply stood there, looking at her.
His expression was carefully controlled, the kind of rigid composure that came from years of royal training and the constant pressure of leadership, yet beneath that still surface his mind was anything but calm, because ev
