The dining hall roared with laughter, and for a moment, Ethan almost let himself get swept along. Almost. He forced a smile, rubbing the back of his neck as his family teased him relentlessly.
But even as the warmth of the moment wrapped around the hall, Ethan's mismatched gaze drifted to the empty chair. Trevor's chair.
The laughter began to dull in his ears, like sound fading through water. His wives' chuckles, Zark's booming laugh, Delphina's innocent joy—all of it dimmed as the hollow space across the table pressed in on him.
His fingers curled against the table's edge.
He wasn't here to laugh with us… he wasn't here to welcome me back.
Ethan's chest tightened, the earlier words replaying in his mind. Trevor is angry at you… betrayed… no faith.
He leaned back slowly, exhaling through his nose. His aura flickered, barely controlled, as his thoughts turned heavy.
