Leah Carter’s Point of View
“You were there.”
The words tore out of me like claws ripping through flesh. My voice cracked, jagged with fury, grief, disbelief. Kael’s golden eyes met mine, and though the bond between us thrummed, desperate for connection, his silence was a blade.
“You don’t deny it,” I whispered. My throat ached. “You don’t even deny it.”
Kael’s jaw worked, but no words came. Caleb stared between us, confusion and horror twisting his pale features. Emma whimpered in my arms, sensing the storm in me, and I clutched her tighter, like she was the only thing keeping me upright.
Finally, Kael spoke, low, ragged. “I was there.”
My knees nearly buckled. The grove spun around me, memories and smoke choking me. “Why?” My voice cracked. “Why were you there when my parents burne
