Selena.
Later that night, after training was over, the triplets decided to make a bonfire.
They gathered wood and set it ablaze, while we all sat around it.
I sank onto the blanket, my legs curled beneath me. My body ached everywhere, but I was happy.
Kael leaned back on his elbows, firelight catching his grin. Ronan sat closer to the flames, calm and steady, the kind of presence that made you feel safe without trying.
Edris at a distance as always, leaning against a tree, arms crossed, watching me while pretending he wasn't.
Kael tilted his head. "You did well today. You surprised me."
I smiled. "I survived. Barely."
He laughed. "Barely counts when you are standing."
Ronan nodded. "She did more than survive. She pushed herself."
Warmth spread through my chest. Not pride. Not ego. Something deeper. Being seen. Being believed in.
It was a feeling I hadn't felt since my father death.
Kael's hand brushed mine. My breath caught, sharp and sudden.
