Lirien's POV
The drive back from the meeting was quiet, but the silence between us wasn't uncomfortable.
It wrapped around us like a shared blanket, heavy with the echoes of the evening,the glittering chandeliers, the swirl of elegant gowns, the sharp eyes of politicians and elites who had watched us too closely.
Vael's hand rested possessively on my thigh the entire way, his thumb occasionally stroking soothing circles against the silk of my dress. The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric, grounding me amid the whirlwind of thoughts still spinning in my mind.
I leaned my head against the cool window, watching the city lights blur past in streaks of gold and neon, the hum of the hovercar's engine a low lullaby. My body still tingled from the press of bodies on the dance floor, from the way Vael had held me there, his scent, dark spice and smoked cedar, clinging to my skin like a promise.
