The smile that crossed his face was small, almost imperceptible. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and the tension around his eyes eased.
He signaled to Finn, who stepped forward and handed him the car key without a word. Vael opened the passenger door for her, his hand hovering over the door frame to shield her head as she climbed in. The gesture was so simple and so instinctive.
Then he closed the door and walked around to the driver's side.
The first few minutes of the drive passed in silence. Vessara still looked nervous. She sat rigidly in her seat, her fingers twisting together in her lap and her gaze fixed on the road ahead.
The scenery blurred past them, the occasional glimpse of buildings, trees, and fields. But Vessara barely registered any of it. Her mind was still reeling, still trying to process everything that had just happened.
Vael glanced over at her. He noticed the white-knuckled grip she had on her own fingers, the way she refused to look at him.
