The forest was eerily silent after the battle. The air still carried the scent of blood and sweat, a stark reminder of what had just happened. Bella stood a few paces away from Kael, her heart racing, her mind spinning with a hundred questions. The adrenaline from the fight was starting to wear off, and the weight of everything that had happened pressed down on her like a heavy stone.
Her hand still trembled as she wiped blood from her dagger, trying to ignore the way her body felt like it was on edge, as if the battle was still happening somewhere deep inside her. She could feel the strange power from within—the power she had unleashed for the first time.
And that warrior’s words echoed in her mind. Shadowbound will be pleased to meet you at last.
Bella’s head snapped up as she caught sight of Kael, standing a few steps away. He was wiping blood from his sword, his expression unreadable. But Bella could see the tension in his jaw, the way his shoulders were tight with unspoken words.
“Kael,” she called out, her voice sharp. She took a few steps toward him, her frustration growing with every passing second. “What the hell was that? Why are they after me? What do they want with me?”
Kael turned to face her, his eyes dark, his face hard. He didn’t speak right away, his lips pressing into a thin line. Bella could see the hesitation in his gaze, and it made her stomach twist.
“I told you before,” Kael said quietly, his voice gruff. “I’m here to protect you. That’s all that matters right now.”
Bella’s chest tightened, a flash of anger surging through her. “Protect me?” she spat, taking a step forward. “Or keep me prisoner like the rest of them?”
Kael’s eyes flashed with something like pain, but he quickly masked it with a cold, detached expression. He stepped closer to her, his posture rigid, as if trying to control the storm brewing inside him. “I’m not keeping you prisoner. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“Safe?” Bella repeated, her voice rising. She shook her head, disbelieving. “Safe from what? From them? From Nyxthorn? Or from the truth?”
Kael’s jaw clenched, and Bella could see the conflict in his eyes. He took a deep breath, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “Bella, I don’t have all the answers. But I know one thing—I won’t let them take you. I’ll die before that happens.”
“Then why won’t you tell me the truth?” Bella demanded, stepping closer to him, her chest heaving with frustration. “Why won’t you tell me why they’re after me?”
Kael looked away for a moment, his eyes distant. He seemed to be searching for the right words, but nothing came. Bella could feel her frustration turning into something darker, something more desperate. She didn’t understand any of this—Nyxthorn’s attack, the strange power she had felt coursing through her during the fight, and Kael’s evasiveness. She didn’t know who to trust, not anymore.
“Please,” she said quietly, her voice softer now but filled with an undercurrent of raw emotion. “Kael, just tell me. Why? Why me?”
Kael’s gaze flickered to her face, and for the briefest moment, his walls cracked. But then, just as quickly, he shut them down again. He stepped back, his eyes cold once more, a mask of control slipping over his features.
“I can’t,” he muttered, his voice low and strained. “Not yet.”
Bella’s heart sank. The words hit her harder than she expected, a sharp pain gnawing at her chest. She felt like she was suffocating in the silence that followed, the weight of his refusal crushing her.
She swallowed hard, trying to push the emotion down, but it wasn’t working. Anger, fear, confusion—everything was bubbling inside her, threatening to spill over.
Kael took another step back, his eyes dark and unreadable. “I’m doing this for you, Bella. You don’t understand how dangerous things are right now.”
Bella’s fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She could feel the frustration building inside her, could feel the storm rising. This was all too much.
“I don’t need you to protect me!” she shouted, her voice cracking with the force of her words. “I need you to trust me! To stop treating me like some fragile thing you need to keep locked away!”
Kael’s eyes widened, but he didn’t respond. He seemed to be struggling with something, something he wasn’t ready to admit, and Bella was tired of waiting.
“You’re not the only one with secrets,” she spat, her voice full of anger. “I’m not some helpless girl. I’m not just going to sit back and wait for you to decide when I’m ready for the truth!”
Kael’s face darkened, and for a moment, Bella thought he might say something—anything to break the tension. But instead, he turned away, walking a few paces toward the trees, his back to her.
“Kael,” Bella called again, her voice shaking with the weight of everything she was feeling. “Tell me what’s going on. Please. I can’t keep living like this.”
Kael stood motionless for a moment, his posture stiff. Then, without turning to face her, he spoke in a quiet voice that was barely a whisper.
“I’m not keeping you prisoner, Bella. But I can’t tell you everything. Not yet. You’re not ready.”
Bella’s heart shattered at his words, and she felt something inside her snap.
Without thinking, she yelled, her voice echoing through the trees, “Protect me? Or keep me prisoner like the rest of them?”
Her words hung in the air between them, heavy with the unspoken truth. Kael didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. His silence said it all.
Bella snaps, shouting, “Protect me? Or keep me prisoner like the rest of them?”