The moment Kael had disappeared, the room seemed to exhale, though the tension didn’t fade—it had only shifted. Varion’s eyes were dark, sharp, scanning every angle, his body still coiled like a spring ready to snap. Orvyn and Jax mirrored his readiness, silently calculating what steps needed to be taken.
Varion’s voice, low and commanding, broke the thick silence.
“No one leaves this mansion alone anymore. Veyra, I don’t care if it’s just to stretch your legs or check on the garden—you stay inside from now on. You will not go anywhere without me, Orvyn, or Jax.”
I froze, the weight of his words pressing down on me, but before I could even respond, he continued, his tone darkening.
“Do you understand me? Your safety isn’t negotiable.”
My chest tightened—not with fear, but with frust
