The journey back to Kael's territory was silent, each step through the dense forest filled with tension and uncertainty. Lyra clung to his side, but her mind raced with a thousand questions, doubts, and flickering fears that refused to settle. Vane's words lingered, his promise of freedom and power echoing like a siren call in the back of her mind.
But she had chosen Kael. Whatever secrets still lay between them, she had chosen him.
Kael's grip on her hand was steady, grounding, as if he, too, was afraid of what her choice meant and what the future held. The forest's shadows lengthened around them, casting an eerie light on the narrow path that wound through Kael's territory. His soldiers kept a respectful distance, their eyes wary, as though they knew something monumental had shifted between their leader and Lyra.
