The moon was high, casting an ethereal glow over the clearing where Aria stood alone, the gentle wind toying with her silver-streaked hair. The firelight from the nearby camp flickered in the distance, but she couldn't bear to be around the others tonight. Too much had changed. Too many ghosts lingered in her thoughts. Cindy's death still clung to her like smoke, a bitter reminder that some wars are won only in pieces.
Kael had tried to comfort her, but Aria needed silence. Stillness. Her heart ached from truths revealed and losses endured. And though the worst of Ronan's wrath seemed quelled, the shadow of his cruelty had not yet lifted. Some scars cannot just be forgotten about,they remain embedded in you. She's trying to forget about everything by making good memories now.
Behind her, soft footsteps approached. She didn't turn. She knew them,who it belonged to.
"I thought I'd find you here," Kael said, his voice low, laced with worry.
"I needed space," she whispered.
