The embers in the hearth had long since dimmed, but Vireya's skin still burned.
She lay tangled in Kael's arms, body humming, pulse thudding somewhere deep in her core. His knot had finally subsided, but the bond hadn't quieted.
If anything—it was louder.
Stronger.
Kael's hand rested over her stomach like a brand. His thumb brushed idle circles against her bare hip. His breath was slow. Calmed. Grounded.
Hers wasn't.
She stared up at the stone ceiling, every nerve in her body still lit up like a battlefield at dawn.
And that's when it started.
Again.
At first, it was a whisper.
A name that wasn't hers.
"Vireya..."
Not a voice she recognized.
Not Kael.
Not even Drekken.
Her eyes blinked open, heartbeat spiking.
She sat up slowly, sheets falling from her skin.
Kael stirred b
