I didn't knock.
Kael had said "my room" like it was a fact, not an invitation. And I'd answered "tonight" like I meant it. Standing outside his door hesitating would have been a lie, and Kael Voss despised liars more than he despised weakness.
So I pushed the door open and walked in.
He was waiting.
Boots off. Cut on the chair. Sitting on the edge of the bed with his forearms on his knees and his head slightly bowed. He looked like a man preparing for something that required stillness, not speed. When he lifted his head, his silver eyes found mine and held them.
"You're five minutes early."
"You're counting?"
"I always count." He stood. The room got smaller — not because of his size, but because of his density. Everything about Kael Voss was compressed, coiled, waiting. "Close the d
