Evaline:
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until the silence between us became unbearable. Rowan's piercing gaze didn't waver, waiting for me to speak. My lips parted, and the words slipped out before I could stop them.
"Maybe… maybe it was just a coincidence."
Even as I said it, the lie burned on my tongue. A coincidence? How could such a big wound simply vanish because of one? What kind of coincidence could erase gashes like that?
Rowan's jaw tightened. He inched closer, gently cupping my chin to make me face him fully. His eyes searched mine, sharp but not unkind. "You don't believe that any more than I do," he said firmly. "Eva, you should try again. We need to know for sure."
I shook my head instantly, panic rising like a storm inside me. "No-I… I can't. I don't even know what I did. What if it was nothing? What if it doesn't happen again?"
