Let Them Kneel (kaelani and Julian) novel Chapter 84

His stare wasn’t lecherous or hostile. It was assessing. Quietly intense. Like he was trying to place her—like she was a song he’d heard before but couldn’t quite recall.

His chalice remained untouched. The cards long forgotten.

“Where are you from?” he asked, voice soft but weighted.

Kaelani hesitated, her voice calm but firm when it came.

“Just a small town far away from here.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie. But it wasn’t a truth, either.

Draevyn’s silver gaze narrowed slightly. He tilted his head—not disbelieving, but intrigued.

“And how did you get here?”

Her breath faltered.

The question stirred a storm against her ribs.

Images flashed behind her eyes—the roaring semi barreling toward her, the council guards in wolf form chasing her down like prey.

And then—nothing.

No crash. No pain.

Just a violet light and—

Here.

She swallowed.

“I don’t know.”

The words were low, honest, threaded with tension she didn’t bother hiding.

And for the first time, Draevyn’s eyes flickered—not with suspicion or scorn.

But interest.

Real interest.

Draevyn turned slightly in his seat, murmuring something low and fluid to the two men flanking him.

It was the same melodic tongue the others had spoken in earlier—sharp in some places, sweeping in others. But this time, Kaelani heard more than just rhythm.

Her head tilted, eyes narrowing.

Most of the words blurred past her, impossible to decipher. But others… others came through with strange clarity.

Trespasser.

Outsider.

Realm walker.

Spy.

Her brows snapped together.

“Excuse me,” she cut in sharply. “I am not a spy—and I don’t even know what a realm walker is.”

Silence fell like a blade.

All movement ceased. Even the background music seemed to hush, caught in the weight of her interruption.

The two men at Draevyn’s side went still, their faces hardening. Several guards behind her bristled. The crowd parted further, backing away like a collective breath had been sucked from the courtyard.

But Draevyn…

His silver gaze flickered—surprise, sharp and undeniable.

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