The atmosphere in the hall suddenly turned bitterly cold. A gust of wind carried snowflakes through the cracks in the door, biting at the skin and cutting through to the bone. Some of the men near the entrance even visibly shivered. But it wasn’t the cold that made my breath hitch—it was Kael’s voice.

He looked at me deeply and said softly, “Come here.”

I didn’t move. My feet were planted firmly to the floor as if a great weight held me down. I knew if I stepped closer, it would all ...