Kael’s POV
The night was still, the kind of stillness that settled deep into your bones.
A crescent moon hung low in the sky, its soft glow casting pale silver light over where we had stopped to rest.
The air was cool but not unkind, carrying the whisper of leaves shifting with the breeze.
It was peaceful, almost unnervingly so.
Luca had fallen asleep.
I crouched near the fire, feeding small twigs into the flickering flames.
The warmth did little to chase away the tension that had settled in my muscles, but it was a welcome comfort nonetheless.
Elara sat across from me, her posture rigid at first, as if she were still expecting another ambush. But slowly, her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath.
I noticed the exhaustion in her eyes before she tried to hide it, pressing
