Chapter 90

Kaelon's POV The antique clock on the wall ticked louder than usual, each second dragging its heels like it was in on some twisted joke.   I sat behind my desk, elbows braced on the armrests of the leather chair, my fingers drumming a slow, erratic rhythm on the polished mahogany surface.   She’d been up there too long.   The room was quiet except for the occasional pop of the fire in the hearth and the whisper of the wind nudging the tall windows.   My study—usually a place of control, of solitude—felt tight, suffocating. Like the walls had crept a few inches closer while I wasn’t looking.   I clenched my jaw and stopped tapping for a beat. Then started again.   What the hell could they still be talking about?   My mind spun in restless circles. She said she needed to see Aaron alone. I agreed, albeit reluctantly.   I trusted her—hell, I trusted her more than anyone at this point—but it didn’t mean the idea of her being alone in a room with him didn’t twist something uncomfortable in