Chapter 133
The moment Kael's grip tightened around her wrist, Ariana felt the shift deepen in a way that couldn't be mistaken. It wasn't just pressure pressing against her anymore, and it wasn't just resistance fighting to hold him in place. It felt like something had finally been forced into direct conflict, no longer hidden beneath control or distance.
Her hand stayed pressed against his chest, her fingers steady despite the force pushing back through him. The connection between them didn't feel whole, and it didn't feel safe, but it held in a way that mattered more than anything else around them. It wasn't something given back to her. It was something she refused to let go.
