Before I could react, Lydia reached out with a sudden, desperate urgency, her fingers tightening around the edge of my cloak. Her grip was strong, almost pleading, and with a swift, determined motion, she pulled it away.
The fabric slipped from my shoulders, leaving me exposed, my face bathed in the cold, silvery light of the moon.
A gasp escaped my lips as our eyes met, a tumult of emotions swirling between us. Fear, uncertainty, longing... and something else, something deeper and more profound than words could ever express. It was as if time itself paused, allowing us a fleeting moment to truly see one another after so long apart.
I searched her face, my heart pounding in my chest. Every line, every shadow on her face told a story, but her expression remained unreadable. Her eyes, those deep, haunting eyes, bore into mine, searching for answers I wasn't sure I had.
