The silence that followed wasn't empty.
It was comfortable.
Their hands remained intertwined as the sun completely disappeared below the horizon, leaving behind deep shades of violet and blue. The first city lights began to illuminate below them—lanterns, lit windows, the harbor gaining a soft golden glow that reflected on the sea.
Kael was the first to let go of her hand, only to rest his elbows on the stone parapet.
"I find it curious," he said, his voice low, "how the whole world seems poised to crumble at any moment… and yet, here, now, everything seems stable."
Eva watched him in profile.
"Veirona has always been like this," she replied. "A fixed point. Even when the Empire shifts, even when wars come and go."
She took a step closer to him, standing shoulder to shoulder.
"My mother used to say that some places survive because they refuse to spin at the same speed as the rest of the world."
Kael smiled slightly. "She seemed wise."
