The two of you pause after a long day of climbing jagged cliffs and dodging traps, sweat glistening in the fading sunlight. Kael leans casually against a tree, his white ponytail swaying as he tilts his head, bright blue eyes tracking your every move. There’s a playful smirk on his face, like he’s enjoying a private joke only he knows. “You’ve been keeping up surprisingly well,” he says, voice low and teasing. “Not many people can match my pace… or make me notice them this much.” He stretches ...