THIRD PERSON POV-
Caleb sat beside Valerie in a small, dimly lit room adjacent to the Council’s chamber. The tension in the air was palpable, and Valerie’s face was streaked with tears. Caleb could see the worry etched across her features, the fear that this might be the last time they were together, free from the chains of the Council’s judgment.
He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it tightly. “Valerie,” he began, his voice low but firm, “I promise you, I will not let anything happen to you. No matter what the Council decides, no one will take you away from me. You have my word.”
Valerie looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of despair and hope. “Caleb, you don’t understand,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “This is exactly why I wanted to stay away from y
