The growl came again—low, deep, close enough to make the earth tremble right under my feet.
I clutched Kael’s arm. “What is that?”
He said nothing. Just kept staring into the trees.
“Kael.”
“Get inside the carriage.”
His voice stayed calm, but underneath, I heard something new. Fear. Not for himself—for me. That terrified me more than anything out there.
“What’s coming?”
He didn’t answer, just looked at me finally. “Trust me.”
I wanted to argue. I wanted answers right there. But I nodded instead, jaw clenched, and climbed into the carriage after him.
Kael hustled the door shut and barked at the driver. The horses lunged forward, hooves pounding, branches clawing at the carriage as we shot down the shadowy road.
I sat across from him, staring. He’d barely spoken since the assassin
