The hall had fallen into a silence so deep that every breath, every heartbeat, could be heard. All eyes fixed on Kaelen as his claw hovered over Selene’s forehead. The faint glow of power pulsed at the tip, red against her pale skin. One wrong move, one flicker of guilt, and the claw could kill her instantly. Selene stood still, her head lifted, her eyes locked on Kaelen’s, though her body trembled.

The claw pressed gently against her temple, and the world shifted.

Kaelen’s vision was ...