The fire had burnt low by the time I found the words.
Kaelen sat beside me on the bench in the great hall, his hand still clasped around mine, his thumb tracing slow circles on my palm. The morning light had shifted from pale gold to the grey of midday, the shadows lengthening, the fortress stirring to life around us. Servants moved quietly in the background, tending to the fires, clearing the tables, and preparing for the midday meal. But they gave us space, understanding that this moment was not for them.
I had been silent for a long time, gathering my courage, searching for the words that had been locked inside me since the dungeon, since the regression, since the moment I woke in Rosalind's body with Selene's memories burning in my mind. Kaelen had shared his fear, his vulnerability, his love. Now it was my turn.
"I saw you die."
