Force

Kiara's POV

The night stretched long and restless, but for the first time in a while, I felt… alive. Maybe it was the thrill of sneaking out, or maybe it was the fact that tomorrow we'd be facing a battle that could either save or doom Veryon. Either way, I wasn't going to waste this moment.

Elena, on the other hand, seemed to have embraced the commoner life a little too well. She had somehow talked a street vendor into giving her free food—no doubt using her charm and sheer audacity—and now she sat cross-legged on a barrel, munching on roasted skewers like she wasn't a literal superstar-turned-prophetess.

"I could get used to this," she said, taking a large bite and grinning. "No royal duties, no expectations—just me, my food, and the night sky."

Ryder scoffed, arms crossed as he leaned against a wall. "You're acting like you're not sneaking around in rags to avoid being caught."

Elena waved him off. "Details, details."