Evaline:
The moment the gates began to open, something inside me shifted.
It wasn't fear. It wasn't relief either. It was...
Him.
The bond between us stirred first. It was a warm, sudden flutter deep in my chest that spread outward like wildfire, wrapping around my senses before I even saw him.
Oscar.
My breath caught as I realized who it was, and then... there he was... stepping out through the narrow opening of the gates, his tall frame instantly recognizable even in the dim light.
Snow crunched beneath his boots as he walked straight toward me, his gaze already locked onto mine like nothing else in the world existed.
I didn't think. Didn't hesitate. I ran.
"Oscar!"
The cold air burned my lungs, but I didn't slow down... not until I reached him and grabbed onto his arms. My hands were already moving over him instinctively - checking, searching.
"Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you hurt-"
"Eva-"
I didn't stop.
