The knock echoed softly.
"Enter," Darcien's voice came from inside—calm, controlled.
Maya pushed the door open and stepped in.
The room was quieter than the rest of the palace, lined with tall shelves filled with maps, scrolls, and leather-bound books. A wide table sat at the center, covered in documents weighed down by small metal objects. Candles burned low, casting steady light across the stone walls.
Darcien stood near the table, sleeves rolled back, one hand resting on the edge as he read over a parchment.
He looked up when he saw her.
"Princess Elowen," he said evenly. "You should be resting."
She shrugged lightly and walked farther into the room. "I already did. Twice, apparently."
That earned her a brief look—sharp, assessing—but he said nothing.
She glanced around, curiosity creeping back in despite herself. "So… what are you doing?"
"Reviewing territory reports," he replied. "Supply routes. Patrol rotations."
She nodded as if that made perfect sense, then tilted her head. "You always work this late?"
"Yes."
"Do you ever stop?"
"No."
She hummed and moved closer, peering at the maps spread across the table. Lines and markings crisscrossed the parchment in a way she didn't understand.
"This looks stressful," she said.
"It is necessary."
She pulled out a chair without asking and sat down, folding her hands in her lap. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable—just… present.
Maya swung her feet slightly, then looked up at him. "I think I fell asleep earlier without meaning to."
"I noticed."
Her lips twitched. "You didn't wake me."
"You needed rest."
She studied his face, searching for something—anything—but his expression was as unreadable as ever.
"…Thanks," she said quietly.
He gave a short nod and returned his attention to the papers, though his focus wasn't quite as sharp as before.
Maya leaned back in the chair, letting the quiet settle around them. For now, she didn't bring up dreams or questions or the strange feeling that followed her everywhere.
She just sat there.
And for the first time that evening, that seemed to be enough.