At that moment, Eva's eyelids fluttered open, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. She blinked a few times, disoriented.
Xylon didn't notice. His focus was solely on Iclyn, his glare intense and piercing for daring to interrupt him.
The frustration of his worry had boiled over, and he struggled to contain his anger.
"X-Xylon..."
The sound of Eva's voice cut through the tension like a knife.
Xylon's head whipped around.
He saw her eyes open, the confusion and fear in them clear as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
"Eva," he breathed, the anger draining from his face, replaced by a mix of relief and lingering desperation.
He gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "You're awake."
Eva blinked up at him, her voice weak but steady. "What happened? Where are we?"