Kaelira’s POV
“Restrain her.”
The word didn’t just land. It was cut.
For a second, no one moved. Not because they disagreed.
Because they were deciding how.
Carefully.
Cautiously.
Like I was already dangerous or like I might explode if they got too close. My chest tightened.
Seven years.
Seven years of standing in rooms like this, silent, controlled, measured…
And this was what it came down to.
Restrain her.
My fingers curled slowly at my sides.
“Don’t.”
Darius’ voice.
Low.
Tense.
A warning.
But it didn’t stop anything.
“She’s unstable,” one of the elders snapped. “You felt it..”
“I said don’t,” Darius repeated.
Stronger this time.
Closer to losing control than I had ever heard him. The room didn’t listen. Because this wasn’t about him anymore. This was about me. And
