Dahlia is strong. Stronger than she knows. But at seeing her like this—broken, trembling, clinging to me for dear life—an unfamiliar feeling rushes through me. An ache. An urge to protect her in a way I’ve never protected anyone. And that’s dangerous. No. It’s lethal. Because not only will it affect my plans, but it’ll also knock her off the chessboard as a useless pawn.
