LOGINFor a beat, no one spoke. Then, he lowered Kaelani gently until her feet touched the ground, but he didn’t let go—his fingers slipping into hers, holding on like it was the most natural thing in the world. Kaelani’s gaze dropped to their hands. The contact stilled something inside her. No one ha
“You do.” He let his gaze drop—just for a second—to the space between them, the inches that still separated them. Then back to her. “But I meant it when I said I’d never leave you again… that was real.” A brief pause—not for effect, but because he meant it. “Not when it’s hard. Not when it’s me
Kaelani’s smile hit him harder than anything else had. For the first time, it was meant for him. Julian stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him and shutting out everything beyond it—the chaos, the noise, all of it. In here— was his peace. His heart. His whole world. He move
The room. The light. The faces. A breath caught in his chest. “Kaelani…?” His focus sharpened. His room. His packhouse. Familiar walls and scent. But something was wrong. His gaze moved quickly—his mother at his side, Jace by the window. No Kaelani. Julian pushed himself upright, pain tear
She didn’t look at him. “Julian Hale… fugitive status removed.” Another keystroke. “Jace Romano… fugitive status removed.” Her fingers paused for a fraction of a second before continuing. “Garrick Blake… charges dropped.” A quiet tap followed. “Release scheduled for… tomorrow morning.” Then—
A brief pause. “Am I wrong?” Councilor Voss didn’t answer. He simply watched her for a moment longer before speaking. “What is it that you want?” Kaelani held the room for a moment. “What I wanted the day I stood before you in the Chamber of Elders,” she said. “What I asked for then.” “To liv
Draevyn stepped forward from the center of the courtroom, the theatrics gone from his voice. It was softer now—each word landing with the weight of a verdict. “I hope it’s enough,” he said, eyes fixed not on Julian, but on Kaelani. “I hope it’s enough to convince you… that you deserve far more tha
He snapped the notebook shut, then reopened it with dramatic flair, turning a few pages like an actor delivering a practiced monologue. “Ah. Right here.” He read aloud, tone dripping contempt: “‘What am I supposed to do?’” Draevyn looked up slowly, eyes locking with Julian’s across the table. “
A slow clap broke the silence. Clap. Clap. Clap. Draevyn rose from his throne with leisured grace, the sound of his palms meeting echoing through the endless chamber like the closing of a chapter. His expression was unreadable at first — somewhere between entertained and unimpressed. He descend
“You don’t want me, Julian,” she said softly. “You made that perfectly clear from the start.” Julian shot to his feet, his chair scraping against the floor, and dropped to his knees beside her. His hands reached for hers, trembling as he took them into his own—and the bond surged between them like







