Kaelira spent the entire day questioning her decision. By the time night finally arrived, she was beginning to realize how reckless this truly was. Sneaking into the royal palace was not some harmless adventure. People disappeared for less inside the empire, especially humans who crossed boundaries they were never meant to approach and yet here she was standing beneath the shadows outside the northern palace walls while her pulse beat nervously against her ribs.
“You look like you’re considering running away.”
Kael’s voice emerged quietly from the darkness beside her, nearly startling her. Kaelira turned immediately to find him stepping from the shadows dressed entirely in black, his hood lowered enough for moonlight to catch the sharp angles of his face.
“You frightened me.”
“That was
