Jae stretched his arms high above his head until his shoulders gave a satisfying crack, then rolled his neck from side to side with a slow, deliberate motion.
A low sigh escaped him, somewhere between weariness and readiness. "Alright, let's go" he said at last, letting out a yawn he didn't bother to hide. The sound was unhurried, almost lazy, but his eyes were alert. He tapped Elise lightly on the shoulder as he stepped past her. "You stay here and keep recovering."
Elise narrowed her eyes in mild suspicion, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Don't overdo it," she called after him, her voice carrying just enough warning to make it clear she meant it.
"I won't," he replied, glancing back with an easy grin that gave nothing away before striding toward Tirel.
Tirel had been watching him long before he reached her. Her eyes followed his movements with open interest, as if cataloguing every subtle shift of his posture.
