Chapter 130

Caleb POV

I stayed beside her bed long after the healer left.

The candles had burned down to pools of wax. The steady hum of monitors mixed with the whisper of her breathing, soft and fragile. I had fought wars, commanded armies, stared down enemies who wanted my blood — none of it compared to watching Kaia struggle to breathe.

I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “You don’t get to leave me,” I whispered. “Not like this.”

She stirred but didn’t open her ...