Lyra’s POV
Kael stood in the middle of the open space, and for a moment I couldn’t breathe. I hadn’t seen him in a month, and I didn’t expect to see him today, not here, not like this. A part of me wanted to run to him because the ache in my chest had never really stopped, but the memory of his words held my legs still. Every name he had called me came back fast, and the way he always tried to cut me with them made me stay rooted to the ground.
He saw me and walked forward, and the rogues around us stepped aside quietly, watching him with a mix of caution and curiosity. I didn’t move, and when he got closer, Rook stepped in front of me without hesitation. His shoulders were straight, and he stood like he wasn’t scared of Kael at all.
Kael’s eyes moved from me to Rook, and I could see th
