Chapter 173: The Unseen Trap

Zendedari narrowed his focus, letting the world around him blur until only one thing remained sharp: Caitlin. The memory of her—her scent, the way her fingers brushed against his skin, and the seductive warmth in her voice—became his sole anchor. She filled his senses, saturating his mind until nothing else could reach him. She was his refuge, his world, the constant rhythm that kept his heart steady. The pain that had threatened to pull him under mere moments ago was replaced by a different fire, one driven by desire rather than torture. Her breath, warm and soft, echoed in his mind. *I love you, Zen. Do what you must, then hurry home to me.* Her presence lingered like the last rays of a sunset, warm and golden, before slowly receding. But even as she withdrew, Zendedari held onto the connection, grounding himself in her love. The world around him returned in a rush—the earth shifting beneath his feet, the rain pattering against the ground, the persistent tug of pain as if the va