The castle was silent, but the air inside was heavy with tension. Kael walked through the grand halls, the sound of his boots echoing against cold stone. Torches flickered, casting long shadows that seemed to bend around him like the wind itself.
Lyssa sat by the window in her room, arms crossed, her eyes blazing with anger and fear. She didn't look at him when he entered, but he didn't need her to. He could feel her emotions, every flicker of doubt and hurt—and it gave him focus.
"You should stop glaring," Kael said softly, almost teasing, but the tone of his voice held an edge sharper than any sword. "It doesn't suit you."
"I hate you!" Lyssa spat, finally looking up. Her voice trembled. "You… you killed my friend! You locked me in this… this prison!"
Kael's face didn't change. Calm. Cold. Ruthless. "Your friend was a threat. He would have destroyed everything." He stepped closer, the storm in his eyes making the room feel smaller, suffocating. "I did what had to be done. And you… you should be grateful I'm keeping you alive."
Lyssa's fists clenched. "Alive? You call this alive?!"
Kael crouched slightly, tilting his head. "Alive… yes. Protected… yes. You will understand one day. Maybe not now. But the world… the city… the people out there? They're weaker than you think. And I cannot let anything touch you—not even them."
She glared at him, her heart torn between fear and the faint memory of the boy she had once loved. "You're a monster," she whispered.
Kael let the word hang in the air. A monster… maybe. But a monster that saves. He turned, walking to the balcony. Outside, lightning tore across the sky. His shadow stretched across the walls, a dark figure framed by the storm.
Let them fear me. Let them all see me as ruthless. Kael thought. It is necessary. Lyssa will understand… eventually.
He didn't turn back to her. He couldn't—not yet. The truth of his actions, the depth of his protection, would come later. For now, he let the world see only the villain he needed them to see.