“Deirdre… Deirdre…”

Brendan murmured to himself, greedily inhaling her scent. “Is it you? Have you come to find me?”

Deirdre was taken aback. She had not expected this to be yet another ploy of his. While she was annoyed, her disappointment grew deeper.

“Brendan Brighthall, let me go!”

She struggled desperately, but Brendan’s arms remained immobile as he kept repeating the same words.

“Is it you? Have you come to find me… You’ve come to find me… Deirdre…”

His breath fell raggedly on her neck, and only then did Deirdre realize that he was truly drunk.

“Deirdre… Deirdre…”

Brendan repeated her name over and over again, his grip on her tightening, as if he was afraid she would leave him once more.

“Don’t leave me. Don’t walk away from me. Don’t abandon me…”

Deirdre was startled.

She had never intended to abandon him. He was the one who had first cast himself aside.

“Brendan, I don’t care if you’re awake or not, let go of me. You’ll never stay this way. This is just someone else