ELARA’S POV

I kissed my teeth in frustration. I've been trying, but he was becoming intolerable.

I had been watching him even from a distance. At first, I convinced myself it was the trouble of duty, the weight of leadership. But it seems there's more than that. His absence wasn't just physical, it was emotional too. And I wouldn't keep pretending that I wasn't affected.

I chewed the inside of my cheek, the pressure steading me. “ No, it's enough.” I whispered to myself.

I have ...