Chapter 274: Earlier that day 3
Kael didn’t move, his arms steady around her, the warmth of his embrace a quiet fortress against the vulnerability blooming between them.
Lila didn’t either, her body pressed against his, her curls tickling his neck as they just stood there, arms around each other, breathing in quiet tandem. The silence stretched—thick and fragile, like a web of glass threads, ready to shatter at the slightest breath.
"I was right to come to you for help," Lila said finally, her voice so soft it trembled at the edges, carrying the weight of years unspoken.
Kael let out a faint breath, his hazel eyes distant for a moment, reflecting the sunlight that slanted through the window. "I guess you were."
"That was the first time," she murmured, her words muffled against his shirt, laced with a raw honesty that made his chest ache. "The first time I ever asked anyone for help."
His throat tightened, a knot forming that he couldn’t swallow down easily, the gravity of her confession sinking in like stones in still water.
"I’m honored," he said simply, his voice low and sincere, no flourish needed in the quiet intimacy of the moment.
Lila’s arms curled tighter around his back, her fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt as if anchoring herself to him. "Tila... she’s been through so much."
"I know," Kael said, his tone gentle but firm, his hand moving in slow, soothing circles along her spine. "I’ve seen it in her scars. The ones on her body—faded lines from battles long past. The ones she never lets anyone see—the shadows in her eyes, the flinches at unexpected sounds."
"Please," Lila said, her voice cracking slightly, a plea that echoed with desperation. "Don’t abandon her."
Kael didn’t hesitate, his hazel eyes steady even as he held her. "I won’t."
He shifted his grip just slightly, pressing her closer—less to comfort her now and more to anchor her, to remind her that she wasn’t alone in this unraveling.