Chapter 144 – Bonds by Firelight
The Hollow had grown quiet after the day's work. Smoke curled lazily from the chimneys, the forge fires dimming to coals, and the laughter of children faded into the comfort of their homes. The council square, however, was still alive. A firepit crackled in the center, throwing light across mugs and smiling faces.
Kael sat with Fenrik, Thalos, and Rogan around the blaze, each with a heavy mug of ale in hand. The air smelled of roasted boar and woodsmoke, and though Kael rarely let himself relax fully, tonight felt different.
Fenrik lifted his mug high. "To the Hollow," he boomed, foam sloshing over the edge. "Still standing. Still growing. Still ours."
Thalos roared in agreement, clapping him so hard on the back that ale splattered across the man's tunic. Fenrik spluttered but laughed.
Kael raised his mug, voice quieter but carrying weight. "To those we lost. And to those who remain."
For a moment, the fire cracked and the four sat in silence, drinking in memory. Rogan broke it, his deep voice steady. "Druaka would've liked this."
Kael's throat tightened, but he nodded. "She would have."
Fenrik grinned suddenly, breaking the somber note. "She'd have drunk us all under the table."
"And dragged us out into the field the next morning for sparring," Rogan added dryly.
Thalos chuckled. "And still beaten us bloody, hangover and all."
The men laughed, and the heaviness lifted.
Kael found himself smiling, truly smiling, as Fenrik slammed down his empty mug and demanded another. Rogan shook his head but fetched the jug, and Thalos began retelling the story of the time he mistook a farmer's goat for a warbeast. The tale grew more ridiculous with every retelling, and soon Kael was laughing so hard his chest ached.
"Admit it," Fenrik slurred good-naturedly, "you needed this, Kael. You walk around like the world's weight is chained to your shoulders. Sometimes a man needs a mug and his brothers."
Kael exhaled, staring into the fire. "You're right." His voice was softer, almost lost beneath the crackle of flames. "I did need this."
The others fell quiet, exchanging glances, but none of them pressed further. They didn't need to. The bond was enough.
Hours later, the fire burned low, embers glowing red. Kael rose, stretching, and left the others still chuckling over half-finished jests. The night air was cool as he made his way back toward his quarters, the Hollow silent save for the chirp of insects and the distant murmur of the stream.
He found Lyria waiting on the porch steps of his home, her braid loose, a small smile tugging at her lips. She looked up at him, eyes sparkling with amusement.
"You smell like ale," she teased.
Kael chuckled, lowering himself to sit beside her. "Blame Fenrik. He kept refilling my mug."
She tilted her head, studying him with that piercing gaze that always seemed to see deeper than he wanted. "But you're smiling. It suits you."
He looked down, a faint smirk tugging at his mouth. "Maybe I had good company."
"Maybe," she agreed, shifting closer until her shoulder brushed his. For a while they simply sat in silence, watching the stars wheel above.
Then, suddenly, Lyria turned, her expression both bold and mischievous. "Kael, I should probably tell you something before Fenrik tries to make a fool of you and says it for me."
Kael raised a brow. "Oh? What's that?"
"I love you," she said, blunt and fearless, her eyes daring him to deny it. "I've probably loved you longer than you realize. And you're stubborn and brooding and far too serious most of the time, but…" She poked his chest, her grin widening. "You're mine, Kael. And I thought you ought to hear me say it."
For a long heartbeat, Kael just stared at her. His chest felt tight, but in a way that was warm, not crushing. Slowly, he let out a laugh — small, rough, genuine.
"You choose the strangest times to ambush me," he said.
"That's how I keep you on your toes," she quipped.
He shook his head, then reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her close. His voice was quiet when he spoke, but steady. "I love you too, Lyria. More than I thought I could."
She leaned into him, her smile softening. "Good. Then we're even."
They sat there until the stars blurred into dawn, wrapped in each other's warmth, the Hollow at peace around them.