Liora arrived too late. Blood covered Kael's arms. The survivor fled.
That night, Kael confronted her. "You knew they were coming."
She hesitated. Then, she unmasked herself fully for the first time. Her eyes were Tribunal gold.
"I was sent to find the one with the Cursed Core," she admitted. "But I chose to stay. I chose... you."
Kael turned away, rage battling trust. The fire inside him boiled.