Alera’s POV
Inside my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, my arms wrapped around myself as I replayed everything that had just happened between Kael and me. The weight of his words still clung to me, heavy and suffocating.
Tonight, he had shown me something new—something darker, colder.
I knew Kael wasn’t the kind to be gentle, but I never expected him to make me feel so… small.
I thought I had hardened myself to pain, to humiliation, but the way he had dismissed me cut deeper than anything else. He hadn’t just reminded me of my place—he had made sure I felt it.
I blinked rapidly, forcing the burning in my eyes to subside. Crying wouldn’t change anything. I had learned that long ago.
A soft creak pulled me from my thoughts. My body tensed instinctively before I recognized the figure
