Dareth didn't move. His body appeared calm, but something deeper pulsed inside him. Slow, heavy, suppressed longing. The kind that doesn't just go away-you either give it time to fade or you surrender to it.
Elara sat peacefully beside him, but the look they had exchanged just minutes ago still echoed in the air. Everything was silent, and yet the silence buzzed with tension. Not uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. The bond stretched between them in fine, nearly imperceptible vibrations that filled the space.
Dareth slowly raised his hand. He didn't ask. Didn't speak. He just did what he felt. His fingers gently slipped through Elara's hair, brushing aside the strands that had fallen over her shoulder. The silky waves glided softly over her skin, and that familiar scent-the faint floral t
