KAEL'S POV
The dust settled around us, and for a heartbeat, nothing moved.
My sword felt heavy in my grip, but my heart weighed heavier—each beat tethered to hers, to the power thrumming beneath Ayla's calm. Our bond pulsed, a living thing between us, sharper than steel, deeper than the battlefield.
I looked at her: blood‑smudged cheek, rune‑etched wrist, eyes brighter than any torchlight. She stood like a queen born of war and moonfire, unwavering even though everything beneath us trembled.
The Seer Council emissaries remained bound, pale shadows chained in their carved seats behind us. They whispered curses and prayers, confusion and fear intertwining like smoke in the still air. But it was the approaching brass army that commanded every ounce of attention.
