Dravina POV

A week had slipped by, and at last, Malrik’s portrait was complete.

Standing before the canvas, I allowed myself a moment of stillness, of awe. I had poured every ounce of perception, every flicker of emotion, into this piece and somehow, I had captured him exactly as I saw him. Regal. Commanding. Unapologetically magnetic. There was no denying the strength in his form or the raw allure in the way he seemed to dominate the space, even as a painting.

My fingers skimmed the edge ...