ARIA POV

The door shut behind Kael and for a moment the silence pressed against me like a weight. My chest felt tight and I could not tell if it was from the way he had looked at me or from the ache twisting low in my stomach. I sat there staring at nothing, fingers gripping the blanket until my knuckles were white. My mind would not calm down.

Finally I pushed the blanket aside and forced myself to stand. My legs trembled but I steadied them. I made my way slowly to the bathroom, every step heavy, my thoughts racing faster than I could catch them. Inside I closed...