Northern returned outside, leaving Eisha with Shin inside the ship. At the same moment, Anike landed on the deck, her movements fluid and precise as she looked around cautiously.
"The dark storm… how does it even work?"
Northern chuckled. "It comes with the package."
Anike observed him for a few seconds, and Northern felt the weight of her scrutiny. She was noticing something—the awkwardness in his posture, the slight strain in his voice.
She lingered, then looked around with a small, graceful smile before bringing her cool, ancient eyes back to him.
"Is it that difficult?"
"What?" Northern turned to her sharply, as if he'd been caught hiding something.
Anike merely offered a gentle smile. It was somewhat unnerving in the literal sense of the word. "You know what I mean. Being with Eisha and Shin again."
"Oh." He looked down, his gaze distant, unfocused on the dark deck beneath his feet. Then his voice came through, quieter than before.
