Noah didn’t let go of her for a long time.
Not because she couldn’t stand on her own —
but because he saw, before she even fully processed it, how shaken she was.
Her magic responded quietly to his steadiness, like warm hands smoothing frayed edges.
When she finally pulled back, she still kept one hand loosely hooked in the fabric of his sleeve.
“I’m okay,” she whispered.
He searched her face. “You don’t have to be.”
“I know,” she said softly. “But I am.”
He didn’t challenge her. He just nodded, thumb brushing once along the inside of her wrist before releasing her.
That gentle touch — not trying to command or fix, just… understand — made her breath wobble.
Noah’s gaze flicked to the broken lamp behind her.
“That wasn’t the charm,” he said quietly.
“No,” she whispered. “It was
