Five bonds.
Five women with wildly different souls, emotions, demands.
Kael's body was starting to break.
His skin itched with feedback. His sleep was haunted by shared dreams. He cried during a training lecture for no reason—then realized it was Mina's tears bleeding through.
He tried to run.
To get space.
To breathe.
Reya found him on the tower roof, clutching his head, whispering names that weren't his.
She sat beside him, didn't speak.
Just held his hand while the storm inside him raged.