Laura exhaled slowly, her eyes drifting to the garden's edge as if seeing something distant. "A few days ago, when we were ambushed by those mercenaries, I told Kael I would protect him at any cost. That I wouldn't let anything happen to him again."
She smiled bitterly as she continued. "But I failed. Just a day later, he was taken. I wasn't there. Again. The truth is… every time he's been in danger, one of us was with him. Maybe we bring the danger. Maybe it's fate, or maybe it's just the price of who we are. If things keep on happening, it is only going to get harder, not to blame myself. So, I think giving this a chance might be the right thing."
Kael shook his head. "Don't blame yourself, Laura. I told you already—things happen. We can't always stop them. The only thing that matters is whether we have the strength to face them when they do."
He gave her a reassuring smile, then looked at the others.
