The silence within the forest did not last long. Elara's last words were still hanging in the air, but the tension those words had created had reached a point that could no longer be carried. Kael's gaze had not changed, yet it was very clear that something within him had shifted. This was not the silence of someone retreating. This was the silence of someone who had already made a decision.
Rowan was the first to feel it. Even the smallest muscle movement in Kael's body revealed his intent. This time there would be no talking. This time words would give way to action.
Elara realized she was holding her breath. The Moon within her was still, as if it had been waiting for this exact moment. This silence was not the calm before a storm. This was the moment of standing at the center of it.
Kael moved. This time his motion was not controlled like before. He closed the distance in a single move, but his target was not Rowan, it was Elara.
