Selena didn't sleep much.
Every time her eyes shut, the fire came back orange flames chewing through wood, the crack of burning beams collapsing, the screams. She jerked awake each time, her dagger clutched so tight her hand ached.
Kael hadn't moved. He sat against the opposite wall, back straight, eyes closed like he could hear every shift in the cave. His dagger rested across his knee.
Selena envied him. He looked carved from stone, unshaken. But the longer she stared, the more she noticed his jaw. Tight. Like he was clenching it so hard he might break a tooth.
Maybe he wasn't unshaken. Maybe he was just better at hiding it.
The cave air was damp, and the smell of earth clung to her skin. Her chest still felt heavy, but the sharp edge of panic dulled into exhaustion.
She must've drifted off because the next thing she knew, Kael's hand was on her shoulder, shaking her awake.
"Up."
