Somto emerged with quiet grace, the type that commanded respect without demanding it. He still hadn't let go of Nnenna's hand.
Nnenna followed, her feet touching the palace grounds for the first time in weeks, but her mind was elsewhere. The moment Somto stepped out, she had expected him to release her, especially now that they were back in the full glare of Lionara's court.
But no, his hand remained clasped around hers, as though it were a lifeline. The situation, already weird back in Purlit, had slid into the realm of the abnormal, and now, she could no longer deny that it was bordering on the downright creepy.
Why the hell won't he just let go? she thought, but she said nothing.
There was something off, not dangerous, but unsettling. She could feel it. It was not dominance or obsession in his grip. It was fear.
