In the shadows of the sanctum, her eyes were darker, and the whites surrounding the brown were becoming red.
“Breathe with me, little one,” I commanded. “Match your breaths to mine.”
When she blinked at me, her gaze growing more focused, I took a slow, deep breath. Her own breathing hitched a few times as she tried to follow my lead, but she was listening now.
I released a slow stream of air, listening as she did the same. “You are safe here. I vow I will let no harm come to you. It may not happen right away, but you will get home, Leda. I will make sure of it.”
I had all of her attention now. I could feel the weight of it as she stared directly into my eyes, unflinching and barely blinking.
“Breathe with me again,” I said.
This time, there was no stutter in her breath. Only a long, deep inhale and a steady, soft exhale. I guided her through several more breaths before I slowly released my hold on her head, my thumbs gently brushing away the tears drying on her cheeks.
“Are you calm now?” I asked.
She nodded and let go of my wrists. I hadn’t realized she had grasped ahold of me as tightly as I held her. Once her touch was gone, I immediately wanted it back.
I expected her to move away, to climb off my lap. She was so careful to keep space between us last night and this morning, too distrustful to be within my arm’s reach.
Now, she was perched on my lap as though she belonged there.
“I’m okay,” she rasped, her voice hoarse from crying. She glanced around. “Where are we?”
“This is my sanctum.”
Her gaze met mine, and she didn’t move from my lap as she asked, “What’s that?”
“Most daemon homes have them. It’s different for each of us. Some use it as a place of focus, of improvement. Others use it asa place for prayer. It’s meant to be a space where a daemon can truly be themselves. A place of peace.”
Her eyes took in the dim lighting and the soft surfaces of the room. “What do you use this room for?”
“I come here before a battle. Or when I have a problem to solve. Or when my emotions become too much.”
She huffed out a quiet laugh. “Are you saying you come here to cry?”
“I have,” I admitted.
Leda stilled, her eyes locked on me. Her stare was searching and, for the first time, unguarded.
“I hoped it would give you the quiet you needed to reach acceptance.”
“Acceptance? I’m not sure I can ever accept that I’m stuck here.”
I squeezed her waist gently with my hands, trying to ignore how small and delicate she felt in my grasp. Those thoughts would only spur on the whispers in my mind. “That is not what I said. Just acceptance of your current circumstances. Once you have gained calm and clarity, you will be able to decide what you do next.”
Her expression blanked for a moment, as though my words took her off guard. When she refocused on me, her eyes grew warm. I couldn’t help myself. My thumbs stroked her cheeks. Her skin was soft and smooth.
She felt fragile beneath my touch even though I knew she was anything but weak.
My eyes moved over her face, drinking in the sight of her, and she leaned toward me infinitesimally. Her lips parted and, for a breathless moment, I wondered if she was about to kiss me.
Until someone pounded on the door.
Leda gasped and jerked back. My grip on her waist was the only thing that kept her from falling backward off my lap.
I sighed and gently set her to the side before I got to my feet and walked to the door. When I opened it, I scowled at Guldan.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, unable to keep the growl out of my voice.
