POV: Lyra
She recognizes something important tonight.
I've known Kai for weeks now. Traveled with him. Talked with him. Shared the easy camaraderie that comes from being the only two mortals in a group of supernatural beings.
But tonight, watching him fight that corrupted beast, I see something I hadn't fully understood before.
He's not just competent. He's extraordinary.
After the battle, while everyone else is checking injuries and securing camp, I watch Kai run through his routines. Weapon maintenance. Perimeter check. Injury assessment. All the small, unglamorous tasks that keep us alive. His movements are methodical, practiced, the kind of muscle memory that comes from years of repetition.
