Astraea's POV
I could feel my jaw tighten the moment Zephyra said it, that soft, confident voice of hers spilling words I had no business hearing.
"Would you actually hurt me?... We both know you won't hurt me."
How could she say that with such certainty?
I almost laughed, not out of amusement, but the kind of bitter, choked laughter that never quite makes it out of your chest. She didn't know what she was saying, and she clearly had no idea what kind of weight those words carried when spoken to someone like me.
Someone cursed to destroy everything they got close to.
I looked at her. She was still sitting on the edge of my bed, facing me, her face open and honest. Her eyes were so full of trust that it made something ache deep inside my chest, something I had spent years burying so deep it shouldn't have even existed anymore.
I turned away, because if I kept looking at her, I would say something unforgivable, but of course, I opened my mouth anyway.
