The silence was loud—louder than any noise could've been.
Erisia let her gaze fall to the faint imprint of Kealith's hand, which had rested beneath hers. Her fingers twitched slightly, rubbing against each other as if to erase the lingering warmth.
She wasn't sure why she'd said what she said. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was empathy. Or maybe it was that strange feeling she'd had ever since finding out about Kealith's situation—that some things were meant to be stirred back into their rightful place.
This wasn't a story. Everyone here had their own lives, their own futures, and things were bound to happen because of their choices.
Actions—yes. To change something, one had to act.
Erisia drew a slow breath, steadying herself. She had decided—she would act. She would make Kealith veer off the path of descent he was walking toward.
When she looked up, Kealith's eyes remained closed, but the faint rise and fall of his chest betrayed his wakefulness.
