Severine hadn't expected to run into Killian here, let alone at this exact hour.
Then again, the moment she had thrown the morning's scandal directly into the hands of the capital authorities, the ripple effect was bound to alert the high command of the King family.
Killian might have callously ignored any other incident in the northern province, but never when it directly involved her.
"Severine."
The soft, low voice came again, enlivening her.
Hearing it now, Severine realized with an aching, crystalline clarity just how much fondness was hidden in that single, breathless call.
In an instant, the biting, icy wind of the courtyard seemed to transform into the warmest breeze of spring.
The sheer sweetness of his tone melted right into the frozen recesses of her heart, entirely erasing the toxic residue of Emmett's presence.
"Are you all right, my love?"
Before her conscious mind could even process the action, Severine's legs moved on instinct, and she broke into a run.
