The moment Kael moved, the fragile balance that had been holding everything together shattered completely.
There had been tension before, layered and controlled, contained beneath words and restrained posture, but this was something else entirely. This was instinct taking over, stripping away every layer of civility and exposing what remained underneath.
The city still surrounded us, still filled with unaware people moving through their routines, yet none of it mattered anymore. The space we stood in had become something separate, something sealed off from the rest of the world.
Kael didn't hesitate.
He closed the distance with a speed that blurred the edges of his movement, his hand catching Rowan's collar with enough force to drag him forward instead of pushing him back. The impact that followed was not loud, yet it carried a weight that traveled through the ground, a physical reminder that this was no longer a confrontation built on words.
