The council chamber was vast, circular, and dim, lined with stone seats carved for generations of watchers. Torches flickered along the walls, sending restless shadows that mirrored the tension coiling inside Alina. She walked behind Kael, each step measured, aware of the pulse at her wrist, aware of him close enough that his presence grounded her even as it stirred her.
Eyes followed them immediately. Whispers flickered through the chamber—soft, speculative—but Kael’s posture remained unyielding. He did not falter, and by some unspoken permission, she felt she could not either.
He leaned slightly toward her as they approached the dais. “Stay with the balance,” he murmured, his voice low, just enough for her to hear. “Do not let the room dictate your rhythm. Let the Veil respond through
