"El?" Aria called out to him anxiously.
Then, without warning, his hand shot up, fingers wrapping around her wrist in a grip like iron. In one swift motion, he yanked her toward him, hoisting her effortlessly into a princess carry.
"Eeeek!" Aria squealed in surprise, her legs dangling as his arms cradled her against his chest, the hard planes of his body pressing into her softness.
The world tilted as he strode to the bed, laying her down beside Mira with mechanical care, as if positioning a doll.
Mira lounged there, a slightly confused smile played on her lips as she watched the scene unfold. She sensed that something was off, especially the energy radiating from Elion, and the way his movements lacked their usual playful warmth, but she only assumed he was still on edge from training.
So she decided to roll with whatever came next.
