The weight of exhaustion settled deep in Elysia's bones, but the moment Malvoria stepped toward her, everything else faded into the background.
The restraints around her wrists and ankles loosened with a flick of Malvoria's claws, the thick ropes falling to the ground in a heap. Elysia exhaled, rolling her stiff shoulders, feeling the sharp sting of where the bindings had bitten into her skin.
She was free.
And Malvoria—Malvoria had come for her.
They hadn't exchanged words, but they didn't need to. The warmth in Malvoria's gaze, the way her body positioned itself slightly between Elysia and the rest of the ruined hideout, was enough.
Elysia swallowed, shifting her gaze to the rest of the room.
The demon soldiers who had been kidnapped with her were standing nearby, bruised but not critically injured. They looked relieved—grateful even—but the moment their eyes flickered between Elysia and Malvoria, something changed.
The smirks started.
