Kael stood frozen in place, his body rigid, his fists clenched at his sides as he stared at the empty doorway through which Lyra had just fled. His heart hammered painfully in his chest, the weight of Ariadne's reappearance pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket.
He had lost her. He could see it in her eyes—Lyra's trust, already hanging by a thread, had finally snapped.
Behind him, Marcus's soft, mocking laughter filled the air, drawing Kael's attention. The satisfaction gleaming in Marcus's eyes was infuriating. "Well, that certainly worked better than I expected," Marcus said with a smirk. "Though I have to admit, Ariadne's timing was impeccable."
Kael's jaw tightened, anger surging through his veins. He turned on Marcus, his eyes burning with fury. "This is your game, isn't it?" Kael growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You brought her here to destroy everything."
