Chapter 6: First Sparks
The days grew warmer, and with them, a quiet tension bloomed between Elle and Jace. She noticed the way he looked at her when she laughed, how his silence softened when they worked side by side. And she felt it too—an ache that wasn't pain, but presence.
That morning, Jace invited Elle to join him on a supply run into the village. It was her first time back since the accident. As they walked along the dirt path, people stared. Whispers followed them like shadows.
"She doesn't belong here," someone murmured.
"Why is he protecting her?"
Camille was there too, her arms dusted in flour. She gave Elle a long, bitter look, then turned to Jace.
"She's still following you around?"
Elle opened her mouth, but Jace beat her to it.
"She's with me."
It was the first time he'd said it out loud.
That evening, Jace took Elle to the hill behind the cottage. The sun melted into the trees, casting golden light on the wildflowers.
"I've never brought anyone here," he said.
"Why now?" she asked.
"Because... I want to know what it feels like to share something beautiful."
She took his hand. He didn't pull away.
And beneath that quiet sky, he kissed her for the first time.