Dydra nervously lifted a small piece of meat to her lips, placing it into her mouth with careful restraint, as though even the sound of chewing might offend him. She chewed slowly, quietly, barely daring to breathe too loudly. Yet no matter how cautious she was, she could still feel it—
His gaze.
Unwavering. Heavy.
It had been on her since the moment they sat down to dine, his eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. She did not understand it, and that frightened her more than anger would have.
Was he still upset about that morning?
The memory surfaced unbidden—how he had caught her staring at him. Her chest tightened slightly. Perhaps she had offended him then. Perhaps he thought her bold… or worse, disrespectful.
But no… something about that felt wrong.
A quiet voice in her mind insisted that was not the reason.
