Back to Seraphina's Perspective and First person.
I breathed in sharply, my fingers tightening as I tried to steady myself.
"I am here," he murmured, his hand moving along my back in slow, grounding motions.
My breathing gradually evened out. The world settled, piece by piece.
[Host.]
I let out a shaky breath.
"I am here," I whispered.
[Welcome back.]
For a moment, I remained exactly where I was.
Elias did not loosen his hold, and I did not ask him to. His arms were steady around me, firm in a way that felt less like restraint and more like certainty, as though he had already decided I was not allowed to fall again.
My breath came unevenly at first, catching against my chest before slowly evening out, and with each passing second, I became more aware of him—of the quiet strength in his hold, of the warmth that grounded me, of the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear.
It was real.
