The meeting didn’t lose momentum after Lyra spoke. If anything, it sharpened. The tone shifted from formal agreement to careful probing, each side testing how much the other was willing to reveal without openly challenging the alliance.
Lyra stayed composed, but she felt the difference immediately. Eyes lingered on her a little longer now. Not hostile, just aware. She had stepped out of the background, and there was no going back from that.
Kael didn’t interrupt or take over. He let her hold that space, only stepping in when necessary, reinforcing her point without overshadowing it. The balance between them felt deliberate, something built rather than assumed.
Across the table, Daniel remained calm, but his attention returned to her more often now. Not openly, not in a way others would
