Chapter 7 THE FRAGILE TRUCE

The rain tapped steadily against the windowpane, a soft symphony that matched the turmoil inside Zaya's heart. She sat curled on the worn-out couch, clutching the mug Kael had brought her. The warmth from the tea seeped into her cold fingers, but it was nothing compared to the chill that lingered between them. Kael watched her from across the room, his arms folded, eyes unreadable. For days, silence had stretched between them like a thick fog dense, suffocating, and impossible to ignore. "Why do you keep looking at me like I'm a stranger?" Zaya finally broke the silence.

Kael's mouth twitched, almost a smile. "Maybe because you've become one." She narrowed her eyes. "Funny. I feel the same way about you." Their words were barbed but honest. After the chaos of their last confrontation, neither knew how to bridge the distance. Kael rose and walked over to the window, gazing at the rain-soaked street outside. "You don't trust me," he said quietly. "I don't trust anyone anymore," Zaya admitted, her voice cracking. "Especially not someone like you." He turned, eyes locking with hers. "Someone like me? What does that mean?" "A man with secrets. A man who can't stay away even when it hurts." Kael's jaw clenched. "You think I want this? To hurt you?" "Maybe you don't want it. But you do." For a moment, the room was filled only with the sound of rain and heavy breathing. Kael stepped closer. "Look at me, Zaya. I'm not perfect. I'm flawed, scarred, but I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Her heart beat faster, conflicted between anger and something deeper-hope. "I want to fix this. Us. But you have to let me in." Zaya shook her head, tears welling up. "I don't know if I can." He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as it brushed her cheek. "Then let me help you find the strength." For the first time in weeks, she didn't pull away. The rain outside softened to a drizzle as the tension between them began to dissolve. Zaya's breath hitched, a shiver running down her spine-not from the cold, but from the vulnerability unfolding between them. Kael's eyes searched hers, raw and honest. "We both have scars, Zaya. I know what you're afraid of-the past, the pain. But running from it won't save you. It never did for me." She blinked back tears, fighting the walls she'd built for so long. "I'm scared. Scared of trusting you... scared of losing myself." He gently took her hands in his, fingers warming her frozen skin. "You won't lose yourself. Not with me." The words felt like a promise, fragile yet powerful. Zaya finally let go of some of her fear, resting her head on his chest. "Maybe... maybe we can start again." Kael's arms wrapped around her protectively. "One step at a time. No more running. No more hiding." As the night stretched on, the room filled with soft whispers, shared secrets, and a tentative hope that maybe, just maybe, love could be their salvation.