Three days passed in suffocating silence.
Elaine sat by the window in Kael's chambers, staring out at the darkening sky. She hadn't spoken to him since that first night and hadn't looked at him, and hadn't acknowledged his presence beyond the bare minimum required to exist in the same space.
The bond screamed at her constantly, demanding she bridge the gap between them. She ignored it with iron will.
Kael entered the chambers, his footsteps heavy on the stone floor. She felt rather than saw him approach, the bond making her hyperaware of his every movement.
"You need to eat," he said, his voice carefully controlled.
Elaine said nothing. The tray of food on the table beside her sat untouched, as it had for the past two days.
"Elaine." His voice held a warning. "This is childish."
Sti
