The night hung heavy over the small cabin, its oppressive stillness pressing down on Lyra like a weight she couldn't shake. The fire had burned down to embers, leaving the room shrouded in darkness. Kael sat across from her, his back against the wall, his sharp eyes watching her closely as if waiting for her to speak.
But Lyra had no words. She could feel his gaze on her, and every second that passed only made the silence between them more unbearable.
Kael had just revealed more than she was prepared to hear—that her bloodline, her very existence, held the key to a power so immense that it had drawn Marcus and others to her like wolves to prey. The revelation had shaken her to the core.
"You should have told me sooner," Lyra finally said, her voice tight, barely more than a whisper.
