Ines was huddled in the corner, pressed against his coat. Her eyes were wide, shining with panic in the darkness. She looked small and terrified.
"Carcel…" she whispered.
He didn't let her speak. He reached in and pulled her out.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest in a crushing, desperate hug.
Ines gasped in surprise at the force of it. "Oh!"
He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of lavender and fear. He held her as if she had almost fallen off a cliff. For a moment, he just needed to feel her, to know she was safe.
But as the relief washed over him, the reality of the situation crashed down.
This was too close. Far, far too close.
He had almost been caught. Rowan had been sitting there. If Ines had sneezed, if she had moved, if the wardrobe door had creaked… it would have been over. His honor, her reputation, his friendship with Rowan—all gone.
He pulled back from the hug. He held her by her shoulders, looking down into her face.
