Vardis POV
I leaned back in my leather chair, the heavy wood creaking slightly under my weight as I stared out into the darkness. My office was pitch black, saved only by the sharp, digital glow of the monitors. My eyes were completely fixed on the main screen—on Elena.
She was lying on her cot in the barracks, her mind probably swirling from the day’s chaotic events in the marketplace. Her chest rose and fell in a slow, rhythmic pattern. To anyone else, she looked like she was fast asleep, but I noticed the subtle twitch of her fingers against the edge of her blanket.
Was she restless?
I had watched her closely enough over the past few days to recognize the exact expressions she made in certain situations. I was beginning to learn how she looked when she was happy, sad, angry, or dee
