Ilaria shivered as she realized the sensation was not just in her body. The pulse of magic, quiet and alive, seemed to resonate through her very bones, connecting them in ways she could not name. Every beat of her heart sparked a tiny flicker along his fingers; every press of his palm sent a ripple of warmth into her chest.
Levan leaned closer, letting his forehead rest against her shoulder for a moment, breathing in the mingled scents of her hair and skin. The magic coiled between them, delicate and responsive like a living thing attuned to their emotions.
With a whisper of movement, it traced the contours of trust, the swell of vulnerability, and the quiet ferocity of fondness and care neither dared yet to name aloud.
Her knees gave way before she could stop herself, the rush of sensation stealing the strength from her legs. Levan caught her immediately, his arm firm around her back as he drew her closer, steadying her against him.
