I looked down at the woman collapsed on the ground in front of me. She had delicate features, almost fragile-looking, and her eyes were strikingly clear wide and bright like an animal caught in danger. She wore a thin silk dress that did little to protect her from the cold, and her long hair was messy, clinging to her pale cheeks. She looked like a frightened deer that had run too far and didn't know where to hide.
Without thinking, I knelt beside her and gently helped her sit up. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.
When our eyes met, something inside me stirred. There was something familiar about her gaze, something I couldn't quite place. It felt like I had seen those eyes before, but I couldn't remember where.
Behind me, a man's voice sounded, warm but carrying a trace of amusement. "Thank you, Mrs. Hale. She's fine."
