"Truth is a blade that cuts deepest when it reveals not the enemy, but the self we thought we knew."
The deep, dreamless sleep granted by exhaustion and Kael's unwavering presence was the first true rest I had known since the war began. My body had surrendered completely, and my mind had wandered into that rare space where memory and fear could not reach me. I woke slowly, not to the shrill alarm that had become the war's constant companion, but to the gentle, almost comforting weight of Kael's arm across my chest.
It was a grounding presence, one I had learned to rely on, yet even in that calm, the memories of yesterday intruded. The image of Elara's terrified face, Riven's fury, it all surged at once. My Beta core flared, an instinctive reaction meant to shield, protect, and anticipate threat. But Kael's breathing, steady and unyielding, acted as a sedative. Slowly, I let my body relax, letting the tension ebb with each inhale and exhale.
