Evaline:
I watched as Draven knelt in front of me, his large hands dwarfing mine as he rubbed my chilled palms between his, coaxing life and warmth back into them.
"Why are you trembling, love?" he asked quietly.
"I'm just… nervous," I admitted, unable to hide the quiver in my voice.
His eyes lifted to mine, steady and unreadable, and yet they seemed to pierce right through me. "Good. You should be nervous. You know why you are here."
His words weren't cruel - they carried weight, yes, but not danger. Still, the reminder made my stomach flip. I nodded faintly. "I know."
The edges of his mouth curved into something that wasn't quite a smile, but close enough to make my breath catch again. "Then you also know that running isn't an option."
"I'm not running," I whispered.
His hand cupped my chin, tilting my face up so that I couldn't look anywhere but into his eyes. "No," he agreed, his voice lower now like silk wrapping around steel. "You came willingly. That matters."
