Daelan’s POV.
I was completely stunned by the sudden shift in Cassie’s behavior. One moment she had been smiling, and the next her expression had fallen into something so hollow that I could hardly recognize her. I could tell she was scared of something, but I had no idea what. The weight of it was written all over her face, stealing away the brightness that usually lit her up. I hated seeing her this way. Whatever she was dealing with, it had to be heavy if it could erase her joy in a matter of minutes. At that moment, all I wanted was to pull her into my arms and hold her until the fear went away.
But all I managed to do was lift my hand and gently rest it on her shoulder, a small gesture to let her know she was not alone. I expected her to flinch or pull away, but instead, her hand ro
