Maya's POV
The "attack" lasted exactly four minutes.
By the time I grabbed a weapon and ran outside, Kaden's soldiers had already eliminated the threat—a pack of Crimson Ravagers that had breached the outer perimeter. Fifteen monsters dead. Zero human casualties.
I stood in the courtyard, adrenaline still screaming through my veins, watching Kaden coordinate cleanup like he was organizing a grocery delivery instead of a battlefield.
"That's it?" I said when he walked past. "That's a critical threat?"
He paused, those gray eyes finding mine. "Welcome to the Northern Kingdom. We handle threats before they become problems." Something flickered in his expression. "Get some sleep. Real introduction tomorrow."
But I couldn't sleep. Not with my mind racing about emotional compatibility warnings and the way Kaden had looked at me. Not with Cassandra's hatred burning through the walls. Not with everything I didn't understand about this place.
