Chapter 60
Kael did not move for a long time. The storm inside him had not settled. It had only gone quiet, pulled inward into something heavier and far more dangerous than before. The space around him fell into silence again, but it was not the kind that brought relief. It felt watchful, like the entire place had stepped back just enough to see what he would become next. His breathing remained steady, but every breath carried a dull, hollow ache through his chest. When he reached inward, there was nothing. No warmth. No pull. Not even the faintest trace of her. That was when the truth settled completely. She was gone. Not hidden. Not blocked. Gone.
