Chapter 5

Evan roared. He didn't think. He just charged, the bone knife raised, ready to carve Caleb into pieces.

Kala's hand shot out. She didn't grab his collar; instead, her fingers moved like lightning, precisely clamping down on the meridian points of Evan's wrist. A sharp numbness shot up Evan's arm, instantly dissipating his forward momentum. Using his own weight against him, Kala smoothly redirected his force, making him stumble backward and land hard on his butt.

"Why?" Evan yelled, twisting his head to look up at her. His face was a mask of frustration and confusion. "Why are you stopping me? He's trespassing!"

Kala didn't answer him directly. She looked at Armond, catching his eye. She gave a tiny, almost imperceptible shake of her head.

Armond's jaw clenched. The urge to rip Caleb limb from limb was screaming in his blood. But his daughter asked for patience. He forced himself to stand still, a pillar of lethal threat, his aura pressing heavily against the porch.

Kala took a deep breath. She pulled Evan to his feet and dragged him a few steps away, lowering her voice.

"Look at what he's holding," Kala hissed into Evan's ear.

Evan glared at the porch. "I don't care what he's holding."

"That is Pearl-grass," Kala said sharply. "It's extremely rare. Augusta Frye needs it for her potions. If you attack him now, you are the one causing trouble. The Council will use it against us. Against Father."

Evan froze. He hadn't noticed the herbs. He had only seen the enemy. His shoulders slumped slightly, the fire in his eyes dimming.

"He's still a creep," Evan muttered stubbornly.

Kala sighed. She cupped Evan's face with both hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes. Her gaze was serious, stripping away all the teasing.

"Listen to me, Evan," Kala said, her voice low and firm. "I am not some naive girl who will be bought by a few weeds and sweet words. I know exactly what I want."

Evan blinked, suddenly paying attention.

Kala pointed a finger at Armond, who stood like an iron tower behind them. "I want someone like Father. Mature. Steady. Not some impulsive, arrogant pup who thinks fighting is the only way to prove himself."

Armond, who had been radiating murderous intent, suddenly perked up. The corners of his mouth twitched violently upward. The killing intent vanished, replaced by a smug, almost arrogant pride. He puffed out his chest.

Evan looked at his father's ridiculous, proud expression and rolled his eyes hard. But the anger in his chest finally settled. Caleb was nothing like Armond. Caleb was a joke.

"Put the knife away," Kala ordered, releasing Evan's face. "Keep the Padilla dignity."

Evan slid the bone knife back into its sheath. He walked over to stand beside Armond, mimicking his father's protective stance.

Kala turned back to the porch. The warmth in her eyes vanished, replaced by the impenetrable mask of official courtesy. She walked up the wooden steps, stopping just out of arm's reach from Caleb.

Caleb had watched the entire exchange. A flicker of jealousy crossed his features before he masked it. He held out the Pearl-grass, the stems wrapped in broad leaves.

"The Council of Elders asked me to deliver this to you," Caleb said, his voice low and smooth, using the official errand as a shield for his presence. He tried to sound gentle, but the intensity in his eyes betrayed him. "They said Augusta Frye desperately needs it for her potions, and I volunteered to climb the Broken Cliff to get it for you."

Kala looked at the glowing herbs. The dew on them sparkled. It was a calculated move. He was trying to buy her gratitude with her duty.

She didn't reach for them. She simply stared at Caleb, her face unreadable.

Behind her, the air grew thick. Armond and Evan were staring holes into Caleb's hands, ready to pounce if he made a single wrong move.