Mira didn't take her eyes off me.
Not once.
"She doesn't belong here," she said, turning to Kael. "You rejected her. That should be enough."
Kael didn't answer immediately.
His silence said everything.
And Mira noticed.
Her expression hardened.
"She's dangerous," she added.
That made me smile slightly.
"Finally," I said. "Someone notices."
Her eyes flashed with anger.
"You think you're better than us now?"
"I don't think," I replied calmly.
"I know."
Gasps spread around us.
The tension snapped.
Mira lunged.
I moved faster.
In seconds, I had her pinned—my hand gripping her wrist, my knee pressing her down.
The courtyard fell silent.
Shock.
Fear.
Respect.
I leaned down slightly, my voice low enough for only her to hear.
"Next time… think before you act."
I released her and stepped back.
Mira stood slowly, humiliated.
Her eyes burned with hatred.
"This isn't over," she snapped.
"I'd be disappointed if it was," I replied.
Later that night…
I stood alone outside, trying to calm the storm inside me.
Seeing Kael again had shaken something.
Something I didn't like.
"You handled that well."
His voice came from behind me.
Of course.
I didn't turn.
"You always show up when I'm alone?"
A quiet chuckle.
"Only when I want to."
I faced him slowly.
The moonlight made him look even more dangerous.
More tempting.
"I don't belong to you anymore," I said.
"I know," he replied.
But his eyes said something else.
Something darker.
Stronger.
His gaze dropped to my lips again.
This time, he didn't look away.
My heart started racing.
Annoying.
Confusing.
And worse…
I didn't step back.
He moved closer instead.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like I might disappear.
"Tell me something," he said softly.
"What?"
"Did you ever feel it?" he asked. "Even after I rejected you?"
The question hit deeper than I expected.
I swallowed.
"Feel what?"
His voice dropped.
"Us."
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
Because the truth was…
Yes.
I had.
And judging by the look in his eyes—
So had he.