Cassidy
Jonathan hadn't changed.
He still had the same charming smile, the same easy confidence.
But something was different.
Or maybe—
Maybe it was me.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his grip steady before he slowly let go. "I didn't expect to see you again."
I swallowed, glancing around.
The guards weren't far—always watching—but they hadn't moved to intervene.
Yet.
"I… wasn't expecting to see you either," I admitted.
Jonathan's gaze flickered with something unreadable. "Are you… free to talk?"
Mara stiffened beside me. "Cassidy—"
"Just for a little while," I said quickly.
She didn't look convinced, but she didn't argue.
And that was enough.
---
Jonathan led me away from the crowded marketplace to a quieter side street, though my guards kept their distance.
"So," he mused. "How's life as the Moon Warden's mate?"
I frowned. "Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Say it like that."
His smile dimmed slightly. "I'm just trying to understand, Cassidy."
