Elaine lay awake long after Kael's breathing evened out, his confession echoing in her mind. *I love you.* Three words that should have filled her with warmth, but instead twisted like a blade between her ribs.
She carefully extracted herself from his arms, watching his face relax in sleep. Even unconscious, he looked haunted, shadows dancing across his features in the dying candlelight.
The bond hummed softly between them, content. Satisfied. As if it didn't understand she was planning his destruction.
She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the steady pulse of their connection. Three weeks had become meaningless. The resistance needed more time, and Kael's vulnerability tonight had bought it for them. But at what cost?
*I love you.*
She closed her eyes against the memory of his voi
