CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

ELARA’S POV

“Elara?”

The voice felt distant at first. Soft. Echoing through the fog inside my head.

“Elara?”

This time it was sharper, closer, and pulled me back into reality.

My eyes flew open. I blinked and found Alaric standing over me. His face was carved with confusion and something that looked suspiciously like worry.

I sat up quickly, heart pounding.

Oh God. I had been imagining things.

The kiss. The soft, warm kiss.

The way he held me like he never ...