Morning came with a chilling breeze, a stark contrast to the fire simmering inside Rai. She had barely slept, her mind racing with thoughts of last night’s conversation under the tree.
Khael had accepted her truth without hesitation. He hadn’t pushed, hadn’t demanded more than she was ready to give. Instead, he had suggested something she never thought possible—control.
And now, standing in an empty training field behind the academy, she realized there was no turning back.
Khael cracked his knuckles, watching her closely. “We’re not leaving until you summon fire without losing yourself.”
Rai crossed her arms. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot of faith in me.”
“I don’t,” he replied flatly. “But I’d rather not wake up to you burning the academy down in your sleep.”
She rolled her eyes but
