Rachael POV
Eryx brushed a soft kiss on top of my head before heading for the door. I watched him disappear into the hallway, the echo of his words lingering long after he’d gone.
“I’ll keep you safe, even if it costs me my life.”
Those words wouldn’t leave me alone. They circled my mind over and over again, refusing to fade. Did he truly mean them? Or was he just trying to comfort me, trying to make this strange situation feel less terrifying? I wanted to believe he meant it. Something in his tone had felt… serious, weighed down with a promise he wasn’t making lightly. It didn’t feel like flattery. It felt real.
I sank onto the edge of the bed, fingers fumbling with themselves. The silence in the room was thick, too thick. My stomach clenched, reminding me I needed to eat properly. I
