Just a few seconds before the outburst, Aether, who had been sitting beneath the old tree, suddenly felt a surge of immense hatred and suffocating frustration coil tightly around his chest.
"Maelona?" Aether muttered with a deepening frown. The unease crawling up his spine pushed him to his feet, and without another thought, he started walking toward the Kaelith house.
When he reached the house, he slipped inside quietly, careful not to make a sound. Just then, his eyes caught sight of Chad standing near the corner of the hallway, half-hidden in the shadows, peeking into the living room.
"What the heck…" he muttered under his breath as he walked toward her, "What are you—"
Before he could finish his words, Chad quickly raised her finger and pressed it gently against his lips. Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head, silently urging him to stay quiet while releasing a soft, barely audible hush.
Aether frowned, but he nodded slowly.
