After taking care of the matter with the killers—although partially—Kael strolled back to his house.
He jumped onto the balcony of his room on the first floor, slipping through the window with a lazy grace, boots landing without a sound.
He was so sleepy that he didn't even care to look around the room, but he still paused as Evethra was sitting on the edge of his bed, her posture straight, hands folded on her lap.
The moment she saw him, she rose smoothly, bowing her head ever so slightly.
"Master."
Kael raised a brow, tilting his head. "Hm? Why are you here, Eve?"
Evethra, with her head still lowered, replied, "I had intended to fan you until you drifted off. But when I came in… you were gone."
"Eh, I went out to get some fresh air, that's all," Kael muttered, walking toward the bed.
Evethra, however, raised her head, her eyes squinting. "Then you must've stepped on some dead rat, maybe."
Kael paused, turning to look at her. "What was that?" He raised a brow.
"I can smell blood on you, master," Evethra answered, bowing her head again. "So, the walk must've been bloody."
Mentally taking a note that Evethra's nose was sharp when it came to blood, Kael shrugged.
"Don't think too much about it. I was only making sure nothing annoying was crawling around." His tone was dismissive, though a hint of amusement tugged at his lips. "Besides, I'm too damn tired to be fanned."
He waved her off and, without another word, dropped onto the bed with a heavy sigh, sinking into the mattress as if it were the only thing in the world worth caring about.
Evethra opened her mouth, uncertain if she should protest or insist, when suddenly she felt a pull—her body lifting off the floor as if unseen hands had scooped her up.
"Eh?!" She gasped as she was tugged into the bed. Kael's arm slid around her like it belonged there, pulling her close until her cheek rested against his chest.
"Much better," Kael muttered, already half-asleep, his voice deep and smooth.
Evethra froze. Her heart slammed against her ribs so hard she thought it would tear free. 'He—he's hugging me. He's really…'
Her breath hitched, her whole body tense as though one wrong movement might wake him. 'What if he notices how fast my heart is beating? What if he thinks I'm thinking something improper?'
But then… she looked up. His face was serene, softer than she'd ever seen it. The sharpness of his eyes was gone, his mouth relaxed into the faintest line of peace.
Her panic dulled, giving way to awe. 'He's beautiful… impossibly beautiful.'
She knew that men were supposed to be handsome, not beautiful, but for some reason, right now, Kael didn't seem like a man but an art to appreciate.
Slowly, the wild thrum in her chest eased, her breath falling in rhythm with his. Warmth seeped into her bones, a safety she hadn't felt in years.
A small smile touched her lips as her eyes grew heavy. 'If this is a dream… I don't want to wake up.'
With that thought, she let herself drift into dreamland, cocooned in his embrace, her world narrowed to the steady beat of his heart.
.............................
A while later.
Kael stirred, though only slightly, his golden eyes still half-closed, lazily catching the faintest shift in his arms.
He could feel someone trying to slip away. Too careful and almost trembling.
Of course, it was Evethra.
Her movements were painstakingly slow, as though she believed he would break if touched too suddenly. She tugged gently, inch by inch, trying to free herself from his embrace.
Her breath was held so tightly that he could almost hear the silence pressing against her ribs.
'Hm, she really thinks she can sneak away from me?' Kael mused, watching through slitted eyes, amusement tugging faintly at the corner of his lips.
However, he didn't move, nor did he speak. He let her try.
Finally, after what felt like ages, she slipped free.
Still, for a moment, Evethra stood there frozen, then her crimson eyes darted to him to make sure he hadn't woken.
It was only after staring at him for some time and seeing that he wasn't moving that she exhaled a soft sigh of relief, turning toward the window.
The morning light spilled in, sharp and golden, falling across Kael's face. Evethra frowned delicately, as though the sunlight were a thief threatening his peace.
She walked toward the window and pulled the curtain closed, dimming the room.
Kael blinked, now realizing how bright it had become. 'So it's already late morning, huh?'
A moment later, when Evethra turned back, she froze.
Because Kael was now sitting up, one elbow on his knee, watching her with that smirk that could both charm and mock in the same breath.
Their eyes met in silence.
Then, flustered, she bowed her head. "Forgive me, Master. I must have disturbed your sleep."
Kael's smirk dropped as he tilted his head, unimpressed. For a while, he just stared at her, but since she kept her head lowered, he sighed, dragging a hand through his hair.
"You know what no one wants to hear the first thing in the morning?" His golden gaze narrowed, glinting. "The word 'sorry.' A bright smile and a good morning would do much better."
Evethra's lips parted, the old instinct to apologize right there on her tongue. But she caught his gaze—sharp, expectant, and unyielding. Slowly, nervously, her lips curved upward.
"Good morning, Master," she said, her voice soft but warm, carrying a shy brightness.
Kael's mouth twitched into a smile, lazy but genuine. "Much better. Morning, Eve."
He stretched, rising from the bed with an almost feline elegance, and crossed to the window.
Pulling the curtain wide again, he looked out at the village.
Children were already darting about, chasing each other with sticks. Some older men walked by with fish slung over their shoulders. They were displaying their catch as if it were their best achievement.
On the village's edge, men and women worked with stubborn pride, hammering and lifting to patch boundaries on their own.
Behind him, Evethra glided around the bed, smoothing the sheets and setting the bed back in order.
That was when the door creaked open with a knock.
Lyra stepped inside, her lips already parted to call out—only for her eyes to widen at the sight before her.
Evethra was here, neat and composed, standing at Kael's side as if she had never left.
"Eve? I couldn't find you this morning—" Lyra paused, tilting her head before shaking it lightly. "Hah, must've just slept late and woken early. Never mind."
She had come here to wake Kael up and also tell him that none of them could find Evethra since morning, but now that she saw her here, she wasn't worried.
Kael turned, golden eyes glinting as he gave her a small nod. "Morning."
"Good morning," Lyra replied with a smile, her tone warmer than her words. "Selene's already prepared breakfast. Let's head to the living room."
Kael raised a brow at that, amused. 'So they're trying to spoil me already?'
He only shrugged and moved to the door. 'Not that I mind.'
But before stepping through, he snapped his fingers.
A rush of cool air swept across him, tinged with fire's warmth and water's clarity.
In an instant, the lingering dust and fatigue vanished from his skin, his clothes crisp and fresh as though he had bathed in a mountain spring.
Both Lyra and Evethra blinked, startled by the gentle coolness that brushed over them.
"What was that?" Lyra asked, brows raised.
Kael glanced back, lips curved into a sly smile. "A little trick. Want to try it?"
The two exchanged a look, then nodded almost in unison.
With another snap, the breeze washed over them, too. Lyra let out a small gasp as she touched her arm, marveling at the freshness that seeped into her pores. Evethra closed her eyes briefly, her lips parting with something close to wonder.
"It feels… incredible," Lyra whispered.
Kael only chuckled, amused by their wide-eyed surprise, and turned away.
"Simple pleasures," he said lightly, descending the stairs at his own pace.
The two girls lingered for a heartbeat, still feeling the strange freshness across their skin, before following after him.
And so, the house filled with the warmth of an ordinary morning—simple, bright, and alive.
But soon, a serious discussion would take over this serenity.