Kael's mother lost all color.
That was the first thing Lyria saw.
Not fear exactly. Not yet. More like the blood had drained out of her face in one clean rush and she had no way to hide it. The man crawling up from the floor was still half out of the opening, one hand braced on the stone, the other pressing against his ribs.
He looked up at Lyria and gave her a tired grin.
"Hi, sis."
Lyria stopped breathing.
For one beat, the whole shrine stayed quiet.
Then her body caught up with her mind and she took a sharp step back. Kael moved with her at once, half shifted, shoulders locked, hands ready to grab anything that came too close.
The man on the floor pushed himself up a little more. He was young enough to still look like the boy she remembered and old enough to look hard from surviving things no one should have survived.
Silver eyes.
Same as hers.
Same as Tavin's.
Lyria shook her head once. "No."
The man looked at her, and for a second the grin fell away.
