aze meeting hers across the dim expanse of the hall,

hythmic drumming of the rain a counter

ttling, felt distant now, overshadowed by the

ntempt or anger, merely with a profound wear

e freshness, the world outside her window

her usual routine. Every creak of the floorboards,

ng within his daughter, was engrossed in cor

e usually of quiet solace. But even there, the rustle of tur

tween the towering shelves, her finge

hall, the way his eyes, so often like flint, ha

vulnerabl

sharp pain

hat she hadn't noticed a displaced ladder, it

crie

nkle twisting awkw

es, precariously balanced o

late. The books began to fall, a cascade of dus

n properly brace herse

waist, pulling her sharply backwar

sounding thud, sending a cloud of a

a gas

hest. The scent of woodsmoke and rain,

er to register the warmth of his body, the steady beat

ankle throbbing, but

r, his face a mask of

... his eyes w

ble, a swift flicker of worry that melted almo

e you

as low, rough

s her, but his gaze swe

from the suddenness of it all, could only shake

o, I don't

... st

oks, then back at her. "Careles

ccusation in it, onl

ck up the books immediately. Instead, his hand reached ou

d, but from the sudden, unexp

as intoxicating,

ze, for a moment, held hers, a si

" he murmured, his

the concern was still there

books, stacking them with a meticulous precision

hed him, du

tal" wolf, the "unf

otect her, and now he was carefully restori

d, he stood, his heig

dy Aria," he said, his voice back

pse of worry, the al

ss. She looked at the ladder, then back at him. "You...

ceptible shift occurred

one, a fleeting, almost shy acknowledgment. It was gone as quic

able facade, a glimpse of some

y gave a s

neutral, yet carrying a resona

lent, and began to walk away, back towa

. She watched his retreating back, th

try woven with violence. But against that backdrop, a new thre

ing but. And it sparked a dangerous, thrilling question in Aria's heart: What

st-smile, was a beacon, drawing h