The walk back was quieter than Lyra expected. Not tense, not uncomfortable, just… quiet in a way that made everything feel more real. The conversations from earlier still lingered in her mind, but they no longer felt overwhelming. They felt settled, like pieces finally placed where they belonged.
Kael didn’t rush to fill the silence. He walked beside her at an even pace, his presence steady, grounded, and for once, not asking anything from her.
Lyra glanced at him briefly. “You’re thinking.”
Kael let out a small breath. “I usually am.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said.
He looked at her then. “I know.”
A faint pause followed before he added, “You handled yourself well in there.”
Lyra looked ahead again. “You’ve said that already.”
“And I meant it both times,” he replied.
She nod
