KILLIANI stared down at Elara, who looked completely at ease inside the heavy anchoring of my arms. She was sleeping deeply, and looking down at her, my chest felt full—flooded with an intense wave of love, aching longing, and a profound, quiet satisfaction.We hadn’t spoken more than a handful of words in the quiet hours we had been huddled tightly together on this narrow mattress, but it honestly felt as though we had been conversing for that entire length of time. It was as if a silent, seamless dialogue was being exchanged directly between our souls, filled with an understanding that only the two of us could ever truly comprehend.She pouted softly in her sleep, adjusting and readjusting her weight against my body to get comfortable. I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips as I reached out to touch her hair, lazily trailing my fingers down the silky, dark strands.The smile dried up instantly when my body tried reacting to her extreme closeness for the umpteenth ti
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