The forest was still, but not quiet. Every rustle of leaves carried too sharp, every shift of shadow felt alive. Alina followed Kael deeper beneath the canopy, her pulse pushing against her throat. He hadn’t said much since they’d left the castle, and silence from him was rarely casual.
When he finally stopped, the ground sloped into a clearing where the roots of ancient oaks coiled like serpents. He stood at the center of it, arms folded, posture relaxed but commanding in a way that sent a chill through her spine.
“There’s going to be a council meeting,” Kael said, voice low and even. “Word of the veil’s claim on you has spread farther than I would have liked. They’ll want answers.”
Her stomach knotted. She tried to draw a steady breath, but it snagged halfway. “What kind of answers?”
