Annelise's piercing blue eyes—so like Alaric's—held me with gentle expectation. In her face, I saw wisdom earned through decades of both joy and hardship.
"I'm afraid," I finally whispered, the words catching in my throat. "Afraid that one day Alaric will wake up and realize he's tied himself to someone who doesn't deserve him."
Saying it aloud made my chest tighten. I continued before she could respond, needing to release the poisonous thoughts that had lingered in the corners of my mind.
"Last night was perfect—magical even. The way he looked at me, touched me... like I was the most desirable woman in the world." I looked down at my hands. "But in the light of day, I remember who I am. The cursed daughter. The scarred girl. The one people whispered about and avoided. And I wonder how long until he sees it too."
"Ah," Annelise said softly. "So that's the heart of it."
