Kael stepped out of the dimly lit room, his senses still sharp despite the overwhelming fatigue coursing through his veins. He had just narrowly avoided death, again, and yet there was something about the stillness of the moment that felt like an unexpected peace. His thoughts, however, were interrupted when he noticed someone standing in the corridor.
Laura.
She stood there, gazing at him with wide, surprised eyes. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved, until—
"Kael!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and disbelief. In a blur of motion, she rushed toward him, her arms wrapping tightly around him.
Kael was caught off guard, but he didn't resist. He let her cling to him, feeling the warmth of her body as she pressed herself against him. Her sobs came in quick bursts, each one harder than the last, and he could feel the tears soaking through his clothes.
