Alyssia's voice broke the silence, her tone sharp despite the fear that gripped her. "Who are they? And why are you here? What do you want with Kaelen?"
Ashar turned to her slowly, his gaze as cold and piercing as steel.
"You ask the wrong questions, warrior," he said, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable edge. "It's not what I want with Kaelen. It's what he wants."
Alyssia's heart skipped a beat. "He? Who are you talking about?"
Ashar's eyes flickered, a strange light dancing within them. "The one who lies dormant within him," he said, nodding toward Kaelen's still form. "You've felt it, haven't you? That power. That presence. It's not his own."
Seraphina, who had been kneeling beside Kaelen, looked up sharply. "What are you saying?"
