Chapter 27: I’ve got all the time in the world
Kael fired up the stove—flames licking low under a dented pot—and tossed in rice, broth, and scraps of meat, the sizzle filling the air with a savory bite that cut through the Haven's stale dust. Steam rose fast, curling around his face as he stirred, mind already shifting to Freya's locked door. Lunch simmered on its own, and he left it bubbling, wiping his hands on a rag before crossing the hall.
His boots thudded soft on the tiles as he unlocked Freya's room, the click sharp in the quiet, and stepped inside—bracing for her icy glare. She sat on hert, platinum-cyan hair catching the light, her blue eyes snapping to him with ald, silent weight. No smirk, no words—just a wall of frost as he leaned against the frame, arms crossing loose. "So, Freya," he started, voice casual but edged, "how'd Lightning Lass snag you? What went down?"
Her gaze held his, unblinking, and she stayed mute—lips a tight line, giving him nothing but that piercing stare. Kael's grin twitched, hazel glinting as he straightened, stepping closer. "I've got all the time in the world," he said, tone hardening.
"Can keep you locked in here as long as I want. No one knows you're here—nobody'sming. And honestly? I wouldn't lose sleep starving you out. You've killed people, Freya—people—and I'm the hero here. Mercy's not my burden with you." He turned, boots scuffing as he aimed for the door, but her voice stopped himld—just as his hand brushed the knob.
"Wait." It was low, flat, and Kael's grin flashed—triumph sparking—until he glanced back, and her icy stare snuffed it out fast.
Freya leaned forward on thet, her hands clasped tight, and started talking, her voice steady but laced with a bitter edge. "I was hunting the leader of a villain gang—another bitch, runs her crew like a damn empire. Planned to gut her clean, take her down slow. Things got messy—chaos exploded, blood everywhere. I dropped a few of her goons, froze their legs solid and shattered them, but the boss bitch slipped away just as Lightning Lass crashed the scene." She paused, jaw tightening, and her blue eyes flicked to the wall, reliving it.
"We fought—her bolts against my ice—but I was already beat from the gang. She pinned me,llared me, and here I am." Kael tilted his head, hazel narrowing as he leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms again. "Why go after them?" he asked, voice low, probing. "They're villains, same as you—why the vendetta?"
Freya's gaze snapped back to him, a flicker of hesitation breaking her frost before she pushed on, locking eyes hard. "They double-crossed me on our last job—left me bleeding out in some hero trap, figured I'd die quiet. I didn't. Clawed my way out, hid in a rundown shack, nursed myself back with scraps and spite. Three months of hell, Kael—then I went for revenge. Lightning Lass just got in my damn way." Her voice dipped, a curse slipping free as she sneered.