I didn't think I'd be able to sleep after everything that had happened, but wrapped in Kaelen's strong arms, I drifted off almost immediately. His steady heartbeat against my back became my lullaby, his warmth a shield against the terror that had consumed me earlier.
When I opened my eyes the next morning, sunlight was streaming through the windows. For a blissful moment, I felt safe, peaceful even. Then reality crashed back—the attack, the rogues, the feeling of hands around my throat.
"You're safe," Kaelen's deep voice rumbled behind me, as if he could sense my thoughts spiraling. "I've got you."
I turned carefully in his arms to face him, wincing at the soreness in my body. His green eyes were already open, watching me with an intensity that made my breath catch.
"How long have you been awake?" I asked, my voice still raspy from yesterday's trauma.
