Olivia turned at the sound of crunching leaves behind her.
She slipped the parchment into the waistband beneath her dress instinctively. it pressed flat against her skin, burning it just as Damon stumbled into the clearing.
His face was pale, his breath uneven, like he had sprinted the whole way. Sweat clung to his temples despite the cold night. But it wasn't the exhaustion that caught Olivia off guard, it was the look in his eyes.
He looked desperate like a drowning man looking at the last straw to hold. She looked away instinctively.
"Olivia," he breathed, rushing toward her.
She stepped back before he could touch her.
His eyes swept the woods behind her. "Was someone here?"
"No," she said too quickly. Her voice didn't tremble, but her heart did. "I just needed air."
Damon hesitated, still scanning the dark tree line. His hand hovered on the hilt of his sword. He only let go when he noticed her eyes narrowing at his actions.
