MADELINE
I stood up.
The chair scraped against the floor behind me and I felt Aldric's gaze follow my movement. I didn't look back at him. I couldn't afford to right now.
My feet carried me toward Cian and I stopped a few paces away from where he stood in the doorway. Close enough to see the sweat beading at his temples. Close enough to smell the earth and exertion clinging to his skin.
"For what?" I asked.
The words came out more neutral than I felt. More controlled. Because part of me wanted to help him. That traitorous part that still remembered what it felt like to be his. To have him look at me like I mattered.
I did want to help. Goddess help me, I did.
Cian's eyes shifted past me. A quick glance that took in Aldric and Elara sitting at the table behind us. His jaw tightened and something flickered across his face. Hesitation maybe. Or awareness that we had an audience.
"Can we talk privately?" he asked.
His voice dropped lower on the last word. Almost like a plea.
