For a moment, I just watched—the slow rise and fall of her chest, the calm that lingered on her features even in sleep.
Gently, I brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. The movement stirred her, and her lashes fluttered before her eyes blinked open. When she saw me, her drowsy expression vanished.
"Chief!" she gasped, sitting up so quickly the mat rustled beneath her. Then, without hesitation, she threw her arms around me. "You're alive!"
I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her in return. "Why? You thought I was dead?"
"I didn't know what to think," she admitted, her voice muffled against my chest.
I smiled and tightened my hold for a moment. There was something grounding about the way she clung to me, as if she was afraid I'd disappear again if she let go. Hearing her voice, feeling her warmth—it stripped away all the fatigue and tension I'd been carrying.
For the first time since the fight with Jael, I felt at ease.
