Short black hair clung messily to his forehead, his complexion was lightly tanned from the sun, and like the dog before him, his own body bore signs of malnourishment.
He was shirtless, his thin frame revealing ribs and collarbones too defined for someone his age.
His shoulders were narrow, his body weak-looking, and yet… there was something unmistakably different about him. Something beneath that fragile appearance.
As if sensing another presence, the boy's head suddenly snapped to the side. His eyes widened in surprise the instant they landed on Riley standing by the doorway.
For a moment, silence filled the air.
Riley simply stared at him, the corners of his lips pulling into a faint, warm smile. His eyes softened, a glimmer of recognition flashing within them.
Koel was young—shockingly young, given the weight of the name Riley remembered.
