Kaelen stood in the center of the ancient ruin, his friends surrounding him, their gazes expectant and filled with confusion. The boy with the white sword had stepped back, giving Kaelen space, but the weight of his revelation still hung in the air. Kaelen sighed, feeling the burden of the truth pressing on him from all sides. He knew he could no longer avoid it.
Morris, the first to speak, broke the silence. "Kaelen... what is this about the Dragonyx family? You've kept this from us all this time?"
Guinevere folded her arms, her fiery gaze locked on Kaelen, but beneath the intensity was concern. "We've been through so much together. Why would you hide something this big?"
Sofia stayed quiet, but her eyes reflected the same confusion as the others. Eldric, still tense from the encounter with the boy, narrowed his eyes. "You owe us an explanation."
FOREWARNING: SLIGHTLY MORE GORY SCENES WILL OCCUR DEEPER INTO THE NOVEL