VALENTINA
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The first thing I noticed was that the minute the door or ground, if I was being precise, that we had come in through had snapped shut, Malik had taken the form of a man.
Tall with brown long hair weaved into cornrows and a braided beard, long enough to reach the middle of his broad, brown, muscular, and hairy chest. His eyes still remained that razor-sharp golden color and his stare on me remained intense, watching every step I took, every single movement I made, like I would break loose any moment and he would take him just a second to hold me down.
Like I would run at any moment.
What was wrong with him?
Why was he staring at me like that?
"Come here, you have to see the High Priestess." Ru pulled me along, her grip on my wrist tight as she moved around the cave like she knew every nook and cranny of the place.
It drew my attention away from Malik who was too close for comfort that I could feel his warmth at my back, to the environment around me.