Anabella's heart beat a little faster, but she kept her breathing even, unwilling to open her eyes and confront the source of the touch. A voice in the back of her mind whispered that she should be alarmed, but another part of her—the part that had grown to trust Clair and Noah—urged her to stay calm. This wasn't danger. At least, it didn't feel like it.
The hand lingered for a moment longer before pulling away. She thought she heard a faint whisper, though the words were too soft to make out. The presence at her side remained for a little while longer, unmoving and silent, and then it was gone. She heard the faint shuffle of feet retreating and the soft click of the door closing.
Her eyes fluttered open briefly, staring into the dim, moonlit room. She felt unnerved, yet oddly at ease. It was a peculiar contradiction, one that stayed with her even as she drifted back into a deeper sleep.
