Silence settled over the room for a moment, the unspoken truth hanging between them. They were furious at Gabriel for his recklessness, for nearly getting himself killed, and for attacking Melissa. But underneath that anger was something else, something none of them wanted to acknowledge.
They'd found him. After days of searching, of following dead ends and rumours, he was here. Unconscious and bleeding, but alive.
Tess was the first to break the moment, her voice sharp as she sheathed her sword. "When he wakes up, we need answers. And he better have good ones, or I'm throwing him back out there myself."
The threat rang hollow, and everyone in the room knew it.
Mera continued working, cleaning the blood from Gabriel's temple. Her jaw was tight, her movements controlled, but her hands lingered on his face longer than necessary. "Reckless bastard," she muttered under her breath. "Could have gotten himself killed."
