VALERIE'S POV
By the time Dristan finally drifted off, his head resting against my shoulder, the room had gone quiet. His breathing evened out—slow, heavy, tired.
I stayed still for a moment, watching the faint glow in his eye fade completely. He looked peaceful, almost boyish.
Carefully, I shifted out from under him, lowering him onto the bed. He stirred slightly but didn't wake. I brushed a strand of hair from his face before slipping out of the room.
Outside, the night air was cool against my skin. I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and started walking down the quiet path toward the dorms. It was late… past midnight, maybe closer to one, but my mind refused to rest.
I took out my phone and called my uncle. He picked up on the second ring. "Val? It's late. You good?"
"Yeah," I said quietly. "I'm in."
"In?" His voice sharpened. "Where exactly?"
"Nightshade."
