The square was quieter than usual, the midday crowd thinning as the sun climbed high, shadows shortening. But Elara felt the pull of him before she even saw him—an almost imperceptible tug through the bond, a vibration beneath her skin that made her thighs clench and her pulse spike.He emerged from the shade of a nearby archway, effortlessly drawing attention to himself without a word, eyes glimmering with mischief and command. His gaze swept over her, slow and deliberate, drinking in every ...