"Elara.." Elara froze at her place. She looked around, Alric was not there. A man had come to greet Alric and he had excused himself a minute ago.
She had not thought much about it and concentrated on the dessert. It had been months since she had eaten something so delicious like that without the eyes of maids staring at her as if she was a vain woman.
For a second, she had let her guards down and now she regretted it.
The urgent footsteps reached her table and a man tall and strong hovered over him. She held the fork tightly in her hands, suddenly feeling trapped and tiny again.
But she knew this was not the time to show weakness, she raised her head collecting all her strength but it faded away when she noticed his sunken eyes and gaunt face. He looked like he was the one trapped in a dark cell for months.
