The man sneered, not caring about Lyra's trembling. "She's mine now. Stay out of this."
Kael stepped forward, his eyes cold. "She was never yours to hurt."
The man tried to swing at him, but Kael's body moved with sharp speed. One strike, then another—within seconds, the man was on the ground, gasping in pain.
Kael stood tall, his shadow cast long by the moonlight.
Lyra took a step closer, her voice shaking. "Kael… all this time… you were alive?"
Kael didn't answer her. His eyes never left the man crawling on the ground. "If you touch her again, you'll beg me to finish what I started."
Fear finally filled the man's face. But instead of backing down, he reached inside his jacket.