They made camp near dusk.
No fire.
Not a single spark.
Kael noticed.
"You're afraid it'll react," he said.
"Not afraid," the leader replied. "Careful."
Kael sat apart from the others.
Alone.
But not really.
You are changing, the voice murmured.
Kael stared at his hands. "I don't want to."
Want has nothing to do with it.
"Then what does?"
A pause.
Then—
Hunger.
Kael shut his eyes.
Across the clearing, Lira watched him.
Carefully.
Like she was waiting for something.
Or afraid of it.
End of Chapter 7