Chapter 26
The tunnel stretched deep into the mountain as Kael walked ahead, holding a torch he had taken from the palace wall. The flame flickered against the rough stone, casting long shadows that shifted along the walls with every step. Behind them, the distant sounds of battle still echoed faintly. Somewhere far above, a dragon roared. The sound was far away now, but it still made Ariana's chest tighten. She slowed without realizing it.
Kael noticed immediately. "You're thinking about them." Ariana glanced back into the darkness behind them, her voice quieter than before. "They're still fighting." Kael didn't deny it. "Yeah." She wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers tightening slightly. "We just left them there." Kael stopped and turned toward her. His voice wasn't harsh, but it carried quiet certainty. "They told us to leave." She shook her head faintly. "That doesn't make it easier." "No," he admitted. "It doesn't."
