Just as her head was about to be swallowed by the water, Zethan's hands moved, holding her in place. Lilia immediately turned to him in disbelief.
Then she spoke quietly.
"Zethan… I didn't expect you to pull away from me."
Zethan answered in a calm, quiet tone.
"You had everything under control, but still—the fear. And you didn't fall because you were weak. You fell because you realized I wasn't holding you anymore. That's what scared you."
He paused, his voice steady. "But you don't have to worry about that. The only thing stopping you is fear. Just know that I'm always here. Nothing's going to happen to you."
Zethan gave a small, quiet nod.
And then, before she knew it, he smiled at her—a warm, soft smile.
She almost couldn't believe it. That smile melted all the scolding and anger she had been ready to throw at him. Then he spoke again, his voice still low.
"That's enough for today. We can have extra lessons next time."
