The shadows dissipated into mist, leaving the warehouse eerily silent. Marin's chest heaved, her pulse hammering, adrenaline still coursing through her. She looked at Averic, and for the first time, she noticed something vulnerable in his silver eyes—a flicker, a shadow of emotion he usually hid.
"You… you let me win," she whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
"No," he corrected softly, stepping closer, his presence enveloping her. "You did it yourself. I only guided you."
Her stomach fluttered as their hands brushed again, lingering longer than necessary. The tether between them thrummed like a live wire, pulling her closer, daring her to feel it.
"I… I don't understand this," she admitted, her voice barely more than a breath.
"You will," he said, his silver eyes locking onto hers. He leaned closer, so close that she could feel the cold radiating from him, sending shivers through her. "Feelings, danger… connection. It's all part of what you are. And part of what we share."
Marin's heart raced uncontrollably. She wanted to reach for him, to close the distance, to let the tether guide her completely—but fear, restraint, and the unknown held her back.
Averic's lips curved in a faint, predatory smile. "Soon," he whispered, his voice brushing against her ear. "Soon, you won't resist."
Her pulse thundered. Danger, desire, and darkness swirled together, binding her to him in ways she could not escape. And for the first time, Marin realized that stepping into this world meant stepping into him… and that world might consume her entirely.