The Edge of Loyalty

Kaelen allowed himself a faint, controlled smile. Calm. Composed. In control. His gaze moved across the room—not just assessing the men before him, but reading Roth’s tension, that unspoken edge that surfaced whenever anyone stepped too close to his world.

“Are we seriously just trusting them like that?” Roth said, his voice sharp, edged with accusation. His eyes narrowed, something darker—almost