Irina's POV
I stopped just before crossing the door.
My hand trembled on the iron handle.
I didn’t know if it was rage.
Or fear.
Or simply… that damned need for something I’d never had.
A bond.
A truth.
A man who looked at me without disgust.
“Wait,” I heard his hoarse voice behind me.
I turned, the hardness still etched on my face, though inside I was already unraveling.
Kael was chained, his skin marked by the touch of silver, his face drenched in sweat and blood. But his gaze…
There was no trace of defeat.
“Did you change your mind?” I asked, letting the tired venom seep through my voice.
He didn’t answer right away.
“I’ll do it,” he said at last.
My lungs froze.
“What did you say?”
“I’ll do it,” he repeated. “I’ll give you what you want.”
My fingers clenched tightly
