Lyra's POV
I remained seated by the pool's edge. The cold water against my feet had become background noise, like everything else that seemed insignificant compared to what we'd just discussed.
Kaelen's breathing had found its rhythm again, though his hands still carried that slight shake. His gaze drifted somewhere beyond the water, perhaps seeing the years of misplaced faith he'd given to people who might never have earned it.
The quiet that settled between us wasn't awkward. It was loaded with unspoken truths neither of us wanted to voice because saying them aloud would make them too tangible.
He was the one who shattered it.
"I could hear you screaming when I reached the infirmary." His words came out measured and soft. "Was it another nightmare?"
I drew my legs from the water. The cool night air struck my damp skin as I hugged my knees close, resting my chin against them. I shifted to face him.
"Are you deflecting right now?"
