I reached the stone doorway, the scent of pine and damp earth mingling with Kaelen’s scent. Familiar. Steady. A comfort I hadn’t realized I needed until now.
Without hesitation, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Kaelen was sitting at his table, pouring over a map of our territory, no doubt planning the next patrol routes. His sharp blue eyes lifted as I entered, and the moment he saw me, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Zerra?” he asked, standing as I approached. “What happened?”
He always knew. Kaelen could read me better than anyone, better than Draven ever could.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it for a moment, taking a breath to steady myself. I had to be calm. I had to be smart. There was no room for emotion now.
“I need your help,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt. “It’s about Draven.”
Kaelen’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening at the mention of Draven’s name. He had never liked him—he had made that clear from the start. Kaelen was fiercely protective of me, even before I left for those two years. He never trusted Draven, never thought him worthy of me. And now, he had been proven right.