Julian's POV
I scooped Aurelia into my arms, ignoring her squirming protests. She was soaking wet, her body shivering violently against mine. The moonlight caught the droplets in her chestnut hair, making them sparkle like tiny diamonds.
"Put me down," she demanded, her voice quavering from the cold. "Now."
I tightened my grip. "Not happening."
Her emerald eyes flashed with defiance. Even drenched and freezing, she maintained that stubborn pride that both infuriated and fascinated me.
"Julian, I mean it."
"So do I." I strode through the garden, past curious onlookers who quickly averted their gazes when I glared at them. "You're soaked, it's freezing, and you're clearly unwell."
"I'm not sick," she insisted through chattering teeth.
"Then why did you almost collapse before falling into the pool?"
Aurelia pressed her lips together, refusing to answer. Her silence only confirmed my suspicions. She'd been swaying on her feet even before our argument.
