Kael
By the time I finally made it back to my room, I was exhausted in a way sleep probably wasn’t going to fix.
The second the door shut behind me, silence settled heavily through the space. No Salas making inappropriate comments from across the hall. No Drake talking at me with the energy of a man physically incapable of letting a conversation die naturally.
Just quiet.
Normally I liked quiet.
Needed it, even.
After years spent balancing responsibility, war, patrols, politics, and the constant emotional noise of everyone around me, silence had become the closest thing I had to peace.
Tonight, though, it didn’t feel peaceful.
It felt crowded.
I dropped onto the edge of the bed with a slow exhale and dragged both hands roughly down my face before staring blankly at the floor betwe
