When Charlie and I arrived back home, it was already past midnight. The weight of all the secrets I had just learned about my family weighed heavily on me, leaving me feeling on edge and defensive.
The sight that greeted me as I opened the door to my bedroom surprised me.
Kael was sitting on my bed with a stern look on his face. He stood up as soon as I walked in and confronted me.
"You're home late," he said, his voice filled with annoyance. "It's not safe for you to be out so late."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was not his prisoner, and he had no right to tell me what I could or couldn't do.
I felt my blood start to boil as I retorted, "I'm not your prisoner, Kael. I can come home whenever I want, and you can't tell me what to do!"
"It’s not safe," he replied, his voice
