Emily's vision blurred as she felt the sudden shift—her mind wrenching itself free from the suffocating void where she had been trapped. A sharp inhale filled her lungs as reality slammed back into place. She was sitting at the Blue Lily Café, her fingers trembling against the smooth surface of the table, the candlelight flickering in front of her. Across from her, Ryan's gaze was unreadable, sharp and knowing.
The alter was gone. She was back.
Emily swallowed hard, willing her breathing to steady. Her body felt sluggish, her mind frayed at the edges from the brutal fight to reclaim herself. But she couldn't let him see. He couldn't know.
She forced a smile, feigning ease. "Sorry, I… must've zoned out for a second."
Ryan tilted his head, his expression unreadable. He had seen the shift, felt the moment the girl across from him changed. But he didn't press her. Not yet.
Instead, he leaned back, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Long day?" he asked casually, swirling the drink in his glass.
Emily nodded quickly, her hands folding in her lap to hide their unsteadiness. "Yeah… just tired."
Ryan hummed in response, but his sharp eyes never wavered from her. He knew. She could feel it in the air between them—his fascination, his silent amusement. But beneath it, something else lurked: protectiveness.
She was trying to hide what happened, but Ryan had already decided. She was his to protect, even from herself.
As the night continued, he played along, acting as if he hadn't noticed a thing. But in his mind, a new resolve took root. If Emily's mind was a battlefield, then he would make sure no one—not even her own demons—could take her away from him again.