Chapter 134
The silence that followed the voice didn't break the way Ariana expected it to. Instead of collapsing into chaos, the pressure in the clearing shifted, drawing inward with a slow, deliberate force that made the space feel smaller around her and Kael. It didn't feel like an attack anymore, and that change alone was enough to make her chest tighten.
Kael's grip on her wrist hardened, his fingers pressing into her skin as his body went rigid beneath her hand. His breathing caught briefly before returning in uneven bursts, like he was forcing himself to stay present through something trying to drag him back under. "Ariana," he said, his voice rough but holding, and this time it didn't fade.
She didn't pull away. Her hand remained steady against his chest, grounding herself through the contact even as the pressure thickened around them. "I'm here," she said quietly, keeping her voice calm despite the tension building in her chest. "Stay with me."
