Sapphire’s POV
Kael sighed and sat beside me. "A long time ago, when I served under Alberto, I wasn’t just a guard. I was trained for something else, something darker. The High Council used me to find and silence threats. I was an enforcer, Sapphire. I did things I’m not proud of. I followed orders without question. Even when it meant hurting people who didn’t deserve it."
My breath hitched. I didn’t expect that. But I didn’t feel fear. I felt sadness. For the boy he used to be. For the man still carrying those ghosts.
"Are you saying you were sent after me?"
"No," he said quickly, firm. "When I met you at the slave camp, it wasn’t part of any mission. I didn’t know who you were then. But when I realized it, I chose not to report it. I broke protocol. I stayed because I wanted to. Bec
