*Briella*

The warmth of the hearth in our home in Celestial Valley had a way of loosening tongues, but this night, an unspoken weight hung in the air. I sat at the head of the table with Kryzen on my right and Kai on my left. Kellen took the seat opposite me. The flickering candlelight danced across their faces as they chatted about mundane things: the crispness of the autumn leaves, Kai's latest medicinal concoction, and Kellen's plans back home. Their words flowed like a ...