The silence that had stretched between them in the hallway broke at last with Kael's voice—low, deliberate, unyielding.
"Come with me."
His words were not a request but neither were they a command. Nerine's heart stumbled, caught between surprise and hesitation. She searched his eyes, but they revealed nothing—only that cold, steady gaze that so often left her unsure whether she should tremble or trust.
She swallowed, fingers curling at her side. "Wait."
Kael paused, his head tilting slightly as though humoring her. "What is it?"
Her breath caught. She could not help herself—the memory of Selene, of blood, of cruelty that still echoed in her bones, pressed heavily on her tongue. "This… it isn't…" She faltered, but forced the words out. "It isn't about blood, is it?"
For a fleeting instant, she thought she saw amusement flicker across his features. Then he shook his head once. "No. Not tonight."
