Kieran flinches at that. But he doesn’t move.
Slowly — so slowly — he turns back to Callum and kneels.
“Callum.” His voice breaks completely. “What did they do to you?”
Callum stops swaying. His hollow eyes focus on Kieran’s face with something that might have been recognition, once.
“Everything,” he whispers. “They did everything.”
His head tips back, eyes rolling toward the sky.
“And it was beautiful.”
I move without thinking.
I cross to Kieran and put my hand on his back. I can feel him trembling under my palm — small, constant tremors he’s trying desperately to hide.
He leans into my touch. Barely. But real.
The group is watching us. Waiting.
Torric’s flames have died, but his expression is murderous. Aspen looks torn between wanting to comfort and wanting to strategize. Finn has turned away entirely, jaw tight, hands still shaking.
Malrik catches my eye. Nods once.Your call.
But it’s not my call.
I stand and face them.
“We’re not killing him.”
“Kaia—” Torric starts.
“We’re not killing him,” I repeat, and my voice is steady even though my heart is pounding. “But this isn’t my decision to make.”
I turn and look at Kieran.
He’s still kneeling, one hand hovering near Callum’s shoulder like he’s afraid to touch him. Like touching him might confirm that this broken, hollow thing is really all that’s left of his friend.
“He’s yours,” I say softly. “Whatever you decide, we follow.”
The silence stretches.
Finn shifts uncomfortably. Torric’s jaw works like he’s biting back words. Aspen’s frost crackles once, then goes still.
But nobody argues.
Because they understand. They were all there when Darian showed up. When everyone wanted to kill him, and I said no. When I claimed him as mine.
Callum is Kieran’s.
And none of us have the right to take that choice away from him.
Bob’s edges soften. Mouse nudges Kieran’s knee, like even they understand.
Kieran’s breath shudders.
He looks at Callum — really looks at him. At the hollowed cheeks, the twitching hands, the madness swimming in his eyes. At the ruin of the man he used to know.
