The door to the council chamber slammed shut behind them, and the silence that followed rang louder than the murmurs that had filled the hall. Alina pressed her palm against the wall as if it could steady her, but the Veil stirred within her chest, restless, agitated.
Kael walked at her side, his hand hovering near her elbow though he didn’t touch her. “You shouldn’t let their words cut so deep,” he said quietly, his voice an anchor against the storm brewing inside her.
“They weren’t wrong,” Alina muttered, forcing her legs forward even though each step felt heavier than the last. “The shadows slipped again. They saw it.”
“Because they baited you,” Kael said. His jaw was set hard, but his tone softened as he added, “Balance is everything, Alina. You know this. You don’t fail because the
