Irina noticed the movement immediately.
It was barely a step, a subtle shift of Liam's foot against the smooth stone beneath them, yet the significance of that single movement struck her harder than any sudden display of power could have. She turned toward him, her dark eyes widening as she studied the side of his face. Liam had never been a man who retreated from danger. She had watched him confront creatures that could tear ordinary warriors apart, challenge opponents whose strength surpassed his own, and walk into situations where even experienced people would hesitate to take a single step. He could be reckless at times, shameless when it suited him, and occasionally infuriating in his refusal to acknowledge danger, but fear was something she had rarely, if ever, seen in him.
Yet now, he had stepped backward.
