Arrival of the Matriarch

The air seemed to tighten around them. Lyra’s stomach dropped, and her hand instinctively found Kaelen’s, squeezing it. Her pulse quickened, a flutter of nerves that refused to settle.

Kaelen’s jaw tightened imperceptibly, his gaze flicking toward the vehicle with a mixture of anticipation and caution, the calm he usually wore now edged with alertness.

No one else seemed to notice—except Kira. S