Dravina POV

Malrik didn’t return until the night was well spent.

The days ahead promised to be heavy, for both of us, and I knew better than to demand explanations. His posture already betrayed his exhaustion, shoulders weighed down by battles I couldn’t yet see.

Still, I had waited.

I hadn’t touched my dinner, holding off in the hope that we could share it together.

When I heard the door open, I wordlessly reached out to Aveline through the link, asking her to bring the food. ...