Morning came quietly.
Too quietly.
Aelira realized she was awake before she opened her eyes—aware of warmth at her side, steady breathing, and the unmistakable weight of an arm draped possessively across her waist.
She did not move.
She smiled.
Kael was asleep.
That alone felt like a victory.
His hair was loose, falling into his face, expression unguarded in a way she had never seen before. No commander. No blade. Just a man who had finally let himself rest.
Aelira shifted—just slightly.
Kael's arm tightened instantly.
"Don't," he murmured, voice rough with sleep. "Five more minutes."
She raised a brow.
"Commander Draven," she said softly, "are you holding a wanted criminal against her will?"
One eye opened.
Then the other.
His gaze focused slowly.
Recognition dawned.
"Oh," he said.
"Oh," she echoed.
Silence stretched—charged, amused, dangerous.
Kael exhaled and dropped his arm, sitting up abruptly. "We should— I mean— did we—"
Aelira sat up too, composed, cloak still around her shoulders, hair loose. "We slept," she said calmly.
He blinked. "We… slept?"
"Yes," she replied. "Unless you've forgotten how sleep works."
Rook's voice drifted in from outside the chamber.
"Morning briefing in ten! And before anyone asks—yes, we heard nothing. Absolutely nothing."
Kael froze.
Aelira covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Lyra added dryly, "Your privacy was respected. Mocked, but respected."
Jax chimed in, far too cheerfully, "You snore, Commander."
"I do not," Kael snapped.
Aelira tilted her head. "You do."
He stared at her.
She smiled sweetly.
Traitor.
They emerged a short while later—separately, of course.
Aelira joined the others at the rough wooden table where maps were spread. Kael arrived moments later, armor half-fastened, expression carefully neutral.
No one was fooled.
Rook leaned back in his chair. "So," he said lightly, "should we start calling her Your Highness or Commander's Problem?"
Aelira sipped her tea. "I prefer inconvenient truth."
Lyra smirked. "Bold."
Kael cleared his throat. "Focus."
"Yes, Commander," Jax said, far too obediently.
Aelira glanced at Kael sideways. "You're very authoritative this morning."
He shot her a warning look.
She ignored it.
As the meeting wrapped up and the others dispersed, Kael lingered.
"You're enjoying this," he said quietly.
Aelira looked up at him. "A little."
He lowered his voice. "You're dangerous when you're pleased."
She leaned closer, eyes bright. "You didn't seem to mind last night."
His jaw tightened.
"Tonight," he said softly, "I'm assigning you guard duty."
She smiled slowly. "I look forward to your supervision."
Rook groaned loudly from across the room. "I regret surviving this rebellion."
Laughter rippled through the Hollow.
For one rare, fragile morning—
There was warmth instead of fear.
Teasing instead of tension.
Connection instead of strategy.
And Aelira knew—
This was exactly what the queen would try to take next.