Kaelen's POV
Sleep had been hovering at the edges of my consciousness, somewhere between the lingering medicinal scent from the tonic and the steady rhythm of Lyra's breathing against my chest. But I never fully surrendered to it. Something kept me anchored in that space between waking and dreaming, some instinct telling me she needed my stillness more than I needed rest.
Then her voice cut through the quiet darkness.
She believed I had slipped under completely. I could sense it in the way her words came out different, carrying that raw vulnerability she only allowed when she thought no one could hear. Soft and exposed and heartbreakingly cautious, as if each syllable might crack under its own weight.
"I was too small to save my first family. Too naive to see the danger until it was already swallowing them whole."
The confession hit my chest like a physical blow.
