I stepped back into the room, relieved to find Aria already awake, her eyes bright with curiosity as they found mine. Smiling, I walked over, and without thinking, I wrapped her in a hug. Just feeling her heartbeat against mine eased the tension I'd been holding onto since the ceremony.
She looked up, tilting her head. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I smiled, but the memory of last night's events still lingered. "You just… you scared me a lot."
She rolled her eyes, but her smile softened. "Well, it seems like everyone else was pretty shocked too, judging by all the staring when I shifted. Magnus, why were they looking at me like that?"
I hesitated, trying to choose my words carefully. She'd been unconscious since her transformation, and I didn't want to overwhelm her. "You've been out since last night, so don't worry about it too much."
