The study was quiet, save for the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth. Seraphina lingered in the doorway, her fingers curling around the doorframe as if it could anchor her against the storm she sensed within him. Kael sat behind the massive mahogany desk, his posture rigid, shoulders squared, jaw clenched, yet his usual aura of unshakable control seemed… fractured.
She hesitated, afraid that even a step closer might shatter the fragile moment before it had fully formed. For months, she had seen only the wall he built around himself—strong, impenetrable, a fortress of pride and dominance. But tonight, the air between them was different. Vulnerable. Human.
“Kael…” Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.
He didn’t look up. His fingers drummed against the desk in a restless rhythm, and fo
