**Gaia's POV**

We entered the council room together, maintaining careful distance between us. The space felt charged with all the things we weren't saying.

Kenneth, Owen, and Evangeline were already seated. Joels stood near the window, and I could feel his eyes tracking my every movement.

And Lysander. Lysander was there too, standing near the back of the room, his expression unreadable as he watched Astrein and me enter.

"Now that everyone's here," Kenneth began, ...