I brace myself, but instead of a hostile grip, I feel familiar hands around my arms.
It's Ethan.
He looks exhausted, his face pallid, hair disheveled, and sweat dripping from his forehead. "Elara!" he pants, his blue eyes filled with panic.
Relief floods me, but it's short-lived.
"Are you insane? You scared the s**t out of me!" I yell at him, my heart still pounding.
"I... I wanted to check up on you," he murmurs, looking away, "with everything going on."
"I can handle myself," I snap, feeling a bit shaken but unwilling to admit it. "Besides, if you were home last night, you could have just asked me that over breakfast!" The accusation in my voice is so poorly veiled that my cheeks flush red.
Ethan's eyes narrow at me, but he doesn't say anything.
The silence irks me further. "Wh
