Chapter 52: Drayce?
Kael tiptoed away from the sofa, the Haven’s soft creaks hushed beneath his cautious steps.
Rhea’s steady breathing trailed him, her blanket-draped form bathed in the TV’s faint glow.
He slipped into his bedroom, easing the door shut with a quiet click, and pulled his phone from his pocket.
The screen’s light pierced the dimness as he dialed Harris’s number, leaning against his cluttered desk—scattered notes, a cold coffee mug, and a crumpled wrapper testament to a long day.
The line buzzed once, twice, then connected. "Drayce?" Harris’s voice rumbled through.
"Thank you, Harris," Kael said, his tone soft but heartfelt, a smile tugging at his lips.
Harris chuckled, a rough, warm sound. "No need. She saved my team out there—Silk Siren’d be a goner without her. Gator Grip and Titan Pulse too, if they’d pulled through."
"You could’ve dropped that robot in a minute," Kael pointed out, pacing a slow circle in the tight space. "But you handed Rhea the reins."
"More like I shoved ’em on her," Harris laughed, the sound crackling over the line. "Also, she whines like it’s her damn calling."
Kael grinned, Rhea’s scowl flashing in his mind. "How’d she mesh with the team?"
"They’re sold—think she’s a hero straight out of a comic after that firestorm. Rhea, though? Pretty sure she doesn’t even remember their names."