"It was all thanks to Lila, she saved me," she whispered, her breath hot and uneven against his shirt.
"She was the only one. When I was locked in here, crying, when the bugs came—when the Matron screamed—I thought I'd die in this box. But she came. She always came. She killed them for me. All of them. She was strong. She was brave. I would've died if not for her. I owe her everything…"
Kael didn't say anything at first.
Just held her, his arms a steady cage of warmth in the oppressive dark, letting the words tumble out, raw and unfiltered, her body still trembling from the echoes of her past.
Then, quiet.
Careful, his voice a gentle probe into the storm.
"Tila," he murmured, his hand continuing its slow path along her back. "Where was Lila… when they locked you in this box?"
Tila hesitated, confused, pulling back just enough to blink up at him through tear-blurred eyes. "With me. Of course. She was always with me."
