Kaiden’s Point Of View
The night was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional whisper of the wind against the stone walls of the fortress. I stood by the massive arched window of my chambers, staring out at the endless stretch of wilderness beyond. The moon was high and full, casting a silver glow across the jagged landscape, but even its light couldn’t reach the darkness pooling in my chest.
Avery.
Her name was a prayer on my lips, a ghost in my mind. I could almost see her now — curled up in my bed, clutching my pillow, maybe huffing out a frustrated sigh because I hadn’t returned yet. The thought of her missing me, of her arms open and waiting for me when I returned, wrapped around my heart like a comforting flame. I smiled to myself, a soft, fleeting thing that barely brushed my lips.
A sharp knock at the door shattered the fragile moment.
I didn’t move. I already knew who it was… the guards. Their presence was as loud as a war drum even when they tried to be discreet. Wi
