Kael's mother stood at the edge of the passage with the ledger in her hand like she had every right to be there.
Lyria hated how calm she looked.
The Council riders behind her had their weapons out. Not raised yet. Just ready. Which was almost worse. One of them wore a plain hood, but the stance was wrong. Too stiff. Too alert. Like he had been waiting for the chance to move.
The hidden stair behind Lyria was tight and dark, but the room behind Kael's mother felt even tighter now. All the air seemed to get sucked into that one moment.
Kael shifted partway before anyone spoke. His shoulders widened. His eyes flashed gold. The sound he made was low and dangerous, like he was one second from dropping into wolf shape again.
"Put the ledger down," he said.
His mother didn't.
"I brought it," she said. "That should mean something."
"Not to me."
Lyria stepped around Kael just enough to see her properly. "You said you brought it. For who?"
