Evaline:
Before I could push myself any further, Draven's hand came up, warm and firm, covering mine. His fingers gently stilled my trembling ones.
"Eva," he said quietly, his voice calm but weighted. "Hey… look at me."
I lifted my gaze to his, and the steady intensity there almost undid me. For once, he wasn't smirking or brushing my worry away with that careless charm. He looked serious.
"You need to calm down," he said softly. "You are shaking."
"I can't," I whispered, my chest tight. "Draven, something's wrong. My power... it's not reacting. I just can't shake this weird feeling off."
He squeezed my hand. "I know. And I promise, we will tell my brothers about this once we are home later today. Let's decide what to do about this... mark... then."
His tone was calm, steady, meant to ground me, but the promise didn't soothe the storm raging inside me.
"Later?" I repeated. "You want to wait until later to tell them? What if it gets worse by then, Draven? What if-"
