~ Aria ~
The weight of Karl’s cloth clings to my damp skin, heavy with his scent. It swallows me whole as he carries me, his arms hard as stone beneath me, his breath steady while mine still comes in ragged, shallow bursts. Every step jostles my battered body, but I don’t complain. I can’t. My throat is raw from howling, my limbs trembling from the brutal shift.
We cross the courtyard in silence, the dawn light spilling over the stone walls and awakening the compound. Warriors pause mid-step, their gaze fastening on us. Some bow their heads, some stare openly, but all of them know what’s happened. I see it in the flicker of awe , the twitch of fear in their eyes.
I’ve shifted. I’m not the weak girl dragged here anymore.
Kael doesn’t slow, doesn’t look at them. His stride is relentless,
