...well. That catches her even more off-guard than the embrace. Not that Inessa is oblivious, she's seen the way he looks at her and the tension between them at times. That she hasn't mentioned it directly has been more due to her needing time and space to figure out for herself what she wants. And though there's much they'd have to discuss, that can all wait for another time. Life is short and the Calling will take them someday, but for now they just cheated death. Isn't that worth a little celebration?

So while Inessa stiffens in utter surprise at first, it doesn't take her that long to respond in kind. Just for a moment, propriety is forgotten.