Chapter 158
Lynette's POV
I watched the corner of Kael's mouth lift. Not a full smile. Just enough to tell me he was interested. Enough to tell me I hadn't lost him yet.
"I won't lie to you," I said. My voice came out steadier than I felt. "This is a gamble. I'm betting your curiosity is stronger than your caution. I'm betting you want to see how far I can go."
Kael's eyes narrowed. But he leaned forward. Just slightly. His body language shifted from defensive to engaged.
"Crazy plans work," I continued. "Conservative strategies keep you alive, but they don't win wars. And this is a war, Kael. Wild Hunt won't stop until one of us is dead."
Elara sat very still beside me. I could feel her tension. She was probably wondering if I'd just made things worse.
Kael was quiet for a long moment. His fingers drummed against his thigh. That amber gaze moved between me and Elara, calculating something I couldn't read.
Then he spoke.
"Tomorrow. Three o'clock." His voice was cold. Final. "I want to see what you can do. Show me you're not wasting my time."
My heart kicked hard against my ribs. This was it. The test. The moment where I either proved myself or lost any chance of his help.
"Fine," I said. I kept my voice flat. Neutral. Like I wasn't terrified he'd see through me. "Where?"
"Training grounds behind my property." His eyes flicked to Elara.
I nodded. "Deal."
Kael walked us to the door. The hallway felt too narrow. Too warm. I was hyperaware of him behind me. Of the way his presence filled the space.
At the threshold, I turned back. Our eyes met. Just for a second.
There was something in his gaze I couldn't name. Expectation maybe. Or curiosity. Whatever it was, it made my pulse stutter.
I looked away first. Followed Elara down the front steps into the cool night air.
We were halfway back to the Grey house when Elara broke the silence.
"So." Her voice was light. Too light. "You and Kael."
I shot her a look. "What about us?"
"You know what." She grinned. That mischievous little smile that meant she was about to say something I didn't want to hear. "The way he looks at you. That's not how someone looks at a stranger."
My stomach twisted. "You're imagining things."
"Am I?" She raised an eyebrow. "Because I'm pretty sure there's a whole story you're not telling me."
I kept walking. Faster now. "We just met. That's all."
Elara laughed. "Sure. And I'm the Queen of England."
I didn't answer. Couldn't answer. Because she was right. There was a story. A story that involved a dark room at a gala, Kael's hands on my body, his mouth on my neck. A story I couldn't tell her. Not when she didn't know the intimate details of what happened between us while I was in her body.
The guilt sat heavy in my chest. But I swallowed it down. Kept moving.
The Grey house smelled like home when we pushed through the front door. Like roasted chicken and herbs and something sweet baking in the oven. The warmth hit me the moment we stepped inside.
The dining table was already set. Plates and forks and glasses arranged with care. Marcus sat at one end, reading something on his phone. Ethan was sprawled in a chair, spinning a basketball on one finger.
Emily appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Her face lit up when she saw us.
"There you are!" She hurried over, pulling me into a quick hug before I could react. "I was starting to worry. Where did you two run off to?"
"Just went to say hi to Kael," Elara said smoothly.
Emily's expression softened. "Oh, that boy. He's been so good to us while you were gone." She turned to me, squeezing my hand. "Did you know he fixed our water pipes last week? Wouldn't even let Marcus pay him."
I blinked. "He did?"
"And he keeps checking in," Emily continued. Her voice was warm. Fond. "Asking if we need anything. If we're okay. Honestly, I'm half tempted to adopt him."
Something twisted in my chest. I thought about Kael's face when Victoria had rejected him. The way he'd shut down. Gone cold and blank.
He craved this. Family. Acceptance. The kind of unconditional care Emily was describing.
"He's a good guy," I said quietly.
Emily beamed. "He really is. Now come on, both of you. Dinner's getting cold."
We sat around the table. Marcus said grace. Ethan complained about practice. Emily fussed over whether I was eating enough.
It was normal. Painfully, beautifully normal.
And for the first time in twenty years, I let myself sink into it. Let myself pretend this was real. That I belonged here.
Emily was talking about the neighbor's new puppy when she suddenly paused, fork halfway to her mouth. "Oh, Elara, I meant to ask. That teacher of yours stopped by last week. The art one?"
Elara's head snapped up. "Ms. Harrington?"
"Yes, that's her." Emily nodded. "She was looking for Kael next door. I saw them on his porch for a bit."
My throat tightened. Victoria. She'd actually gone to see him.
I thought about Victoria in that basement. The way she'd finally admitted the truth.
"That's good," I said. My voice came out rough. "That's really good."