Sera's Pov
By the time I was finally discharged, the infirmary felt more like home than my own room.
Lisa had made sure of that.
In the four extra days I had spent there, we had gone from patient and nurse to something closer to friends—if friendship meant being constantly scolded, force-fed disgusting medicine, and having your love life aggressively analyzed every five minutes.
"Sooo," Lisa had drawled just that morning, leaning on my bed rail. "Are we sure this isn't a love triangle? Because I gotta say, the tension is thick."
"There is no love triangle," I had muttered, rolling my eyes.
She had hummed knowingly, not believing me for a second.
Still, I liked her. A lot.
And despite my initial frustration at being forced to stay in bed for days, I couldn't deny I felt better now.
Physically, at least.
The wound had healed completely, but the silver had left a thin, pale scar slashing across my abdomen. No amount of healing could erase it.
It should have bothered me.
Maybe in a different life, it would have.
But I had been fighting my whole life. Scars were nothing new.
Still, as I stepped out of the infirmary and into the cool evening air, I had only one thought:
I need to see Kael.
I didn't stop to question why.
I just started walking.
And then immediately realized—
I had no idea where his room was.
I paused in the corridor, scanning my surroundings. The place trainees stayed were sprawling, lined with rooms that all looked the same. The only ones I had been inside were my own and the common areas.
I glanced around, searching for someone who could help.
My eyes landed on a group of guards lingering by the entrance, half in uniform, half in casual training gear. I recognized them immediately—they were part of the team that woke up the trainees every morning with way too much enthusiasm.
One of them, a broad-shouldered guy with a permanent scowl, noticed me first.
"Sera?" He blinked, straightening.
The others turned as well, looking mildly surprised.
I hesitated. This is going to be awkward.
"Uh... do any of you know where Kael's room is?"
Silence.
Then a slow, knowing smirk spread across Scowl Guy's face.
Another guard snorted. A third one, younger, looked outright shocked.
I groaned. "Not like that. I just—ugh, never mind. Just point me in the right direction."
Scowl Guy chuckled but jerked a thumb toward the west wing. "Last door down the hall. Try not to get lost, princess."
I rolled my eyes and turned on my heel, ignoring the way they were still grinning when I walked away.
I stopped in front of the door, exhaling slowly.
Then I knocked.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the door cracked open.
And there he was.
Kael.
Hair slightly tousled, shirtless, sweat glistening along the hard planes of his torso. Loose training pants sat low on his hips, and for a split second, I completely forgot what words were.
His green eyes landed on me, widening slightly. Then, as if the sight of me didn't surprise him at all, his lips curled into a slow, familiar smirk.
"Well, well," he drawled, leaning against the doorframe. "Look who's alive."
I rolled my eyes, regaining my composure. "Surprised?"
He let out a low chuckle. "Nah. You're too stubborn to die."
I snorted. "Are you going to let me in, or are we just going to stand here bickering in the hallway?"
His smirk widened, but he stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter.
I stepped inside, noting the simplicity of his room. Clean. Practical. Not much personal decoration, a few books, a training bag, but the space still felt like him.
Kael shut the door behind me, watching me curiously.
"So," he drawled, leaning against the wall. "To what do I owe the honor?"
I hesitated. Then sighed. "I wanted to say sorry."
Kael blinked. "For what?"
"For Lucian," I admitted. "For not letting you visit. The nurse told me you tried."
Something flickered in his gaze.
Then he shrugged. "Doesn't matter."
I frowned. "Kael—"
"I knew he wouldn't let me." His voice was casual, but there was something beneath it. "He's your mate, Sera."
My chest tightened.
Kael stretched lazily. "I wasn't exactly expecting him to invite me over for tea."
I exhaled. "Still. I—"
Kael's eyes flickered down, lingering on my stomach.
His voice softened. "Can I see it?"
I hesitated.
Then I nodded.
Kael stepped forward, lifting the hem of my shirt just enough to expose the scar.
His fingers barely grazed my skin, warm against the cool air.
For a moment, he just looked at it.
Then he let out a low whistle.
"Damn," he muttered. "That's kinda hot."
I stared at him. "What?"
His lips quirked. "You should wear crop tops from now on. Really lean into the whole 'badass warrior' thing."
I blinked.
Then I laughed.