Just as Aeliana's finger remained poised against Lucavion's nose, a low, sharp grr cut through the air.
Her body reacted before her mind caught up, instincts kicking in as she swiftly retracted her hand—just in time.
A small white paw swiped at the space where her finger had just been.
Aeliana blinked, her gaze snapping toward the culprit.
Lucavion's damn cat.
Perched on his shoulder, the feline now had its ears flattened, its sharp, intelligent eyes locked directly onto her. Its tail flicked once—slow, deliberate.
There was nothing playful about its reaction.
It hadn't been a harmless bat of the paw.
That had been a warning.
Aeliana narrowed her eyes, fully turning her attention to the creature.
The cat did not back down. It met her gaze with an unsettling stillness, its pupils narrowing slightly as if analyzing her, assessing her.
And for some reason—
Aeliana felt something off.
Something she couldn't explain.
