The tension in the SUV was palpable. Amena kept her eyes on the road while Alicarde glanced at his companions, their expressions shifting between curiosity and apprehension.
Elizalina's smile deepened, though Alicarde noticed a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, an unsettling undercurrent that betrayed her composure.
She leaned in closer to him, her voice soft but deliberate, just loud enough for the others to hear. "Would you care to know my truename, Alicarde? Hmmm... very well. I suppose it is only fitting. You were kind enough to share yours."
She leaned even closer, her breath brushing against his ear. Alicarde caught the subtle fragrance that accompanied her, his heightened senses alerting him to how quiet her whisper truly was.
Even with super hearing, he barely caught it. He assumed the others hadn't heard a thing.