His brilliant mind pieced the terrifying puzzle together instantly. He knew, with absolute, heartbreaking certainty, that she wasn't just being lazy to embarrass the court. She couldn't see him. She needed him to close the distance so she wouldn't expose her weakness to the Emperor.
The genius scholar's expression softened into a devastatingly gentle, deeply protective smile.
"Of course, Wife," Samuel replied smoothly, his voice a warm, grounding anchor in her dark world. "Why not?"
He closed the three-meter gap in long, elegant strides. Without a single moment of hesitation, Samuel leaned down, slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, and effortlessly scooped her up against his chest. As he lifted her into a perfect, sweeping princess carry, Heena rested her head against his shoulder, finally allowing herself to let out a quiet, hidden breath of relief.
